Wednesday, September 9, 2015

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

VOLUME CL, ISSUE 60

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Mental health council advocates striking limit on CAPS therapy sessions Expansion of CAPS staff, changes to student medical leave process already underway

By KATE TALERICO SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Mental Health Community Council proposed a bevy of measures to expand the scope and accessibility of Counseling and Psychological Services in a report released Sept. 2.

Most notably, the council’s recommendations include eliminating the seven-session limit for students seeking CAPS therapy — a frequent student criticism of existing policy — as well as revising the medical

leave-taking system by improving communication between students on leave and the Office of Student Life and increasing the number and diversity of CAPS staff members.

The council’s report comes after the suicide of Hyoun Ju Sohn GS last semester and on the heels of a summer during which Brown drew negative attention for its handling of mental health following a Buzzfeed article that described the University’s contentious relationship with an undergraduate on leave. The University has repeatedly denied the student readmission since it first placed him on leave in March 2013 and issued a no-contact order against him in October 2014.

Though the report emphasizes that » See CAPS, page 3

ISABELLA OLEA / HERALD

As part of its efforts to support student mental health, the University hired a new coordinator, Jorge Vargas, to help students transition from Counseling and Psychological Services therapists to local providers.

U. sustains interim policy prohibiting events with alcohol in residence halls

Report recommends creation of new ‘enforcement role’ in residential areas, targets student-athlete drinking

By KATE TALERICO SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Alcohol and Social Event Review committee made a number of proposals meant to discourage underage drinking on campus and increase supervised events both with and without alcohol.

The University has accepted all the recommendations and has begun implementing several of them already.

The interim policy put in place last semester to bar social events with alcohol from residential spaces, including Greek and program houses, will remain in effect this fall as the committee evaluates the impact of new measures on student drinking behavior, said Tim Shiner, director of the Stephen

Robert ’62 Campus Center and Student Activities.

The 18-person committee formed in the wake of a number of alcoholrelated incidents last fall, including the alleged use of a date-rape drug at an October party hosted by Phi Kappa Psi. The disputed incident ignited a firestorm of controversy on campus surrounding the University’s handling of the subsequent investigation.

Other interim measures, such as allowing only University-trained bartenders to serve drinks, prohibiting punch bowls and requiring drinks to be prepared directly before the person being served, have been instituted permanently, Shiner added.

The most significant of the new

recommendations is the committee’s call for several new staff positions. The University will establish new graduate student staff positions to act as a “stronger enforcement role” than residential peer leaders and community directors in residential spaces.

Five to six of these grad student staffers will serve a residential area in two-person teams on Friday and Saturday nights, with a focus on Wriston Quadrangle, Keeney Quadrangle and the Pembroke campus. The committee estimates that monitoring all three areas would cost the University $86,436 this academic year, according to the report, and suggests the University prioritize Wriston if it cannot devote sufficient resources to all three.

The University posted applications for these positions online two weeks ago, said Sazzy Gourley ’16, president

of the Undergraduate Council of Students.

These new staff members will also help host more alcohol-free events, including free-food events hosted in lounges, which the committee hopes will impede other activities from occurring there on weekend nights.

“By the end of the semester, we had a number of students, including students involved in Greek and program houses who had initially been concerned with the prohibition of events in those spaces … say to us, ‘This has actually been really nice to not have that sort of environment in our living space,’” Shiner said.

The University will also hire a fulltime staff member to coordinate regular meetings with Greek life in order to encourage Greek Council to develop leadership training for members and

encourage them to address their relationship with independent students who share their residential space, the report states.

“The early part, when people first arrive at college, is a really important time to make people feel comfortable on campus,” said MaryLou McMillan, interim assistant vice president for campus life and student services. In conversations, several first-years said their living environments were “not very respectful or very comfortable,” she added.

Despite concern from various students and members of the greater Providence community, the University did not see an uptick in number of parties requiring DPS intervention off campus, said Kate Tompkins, associate director for off-campus living and programs. » See ALCOHOL, page 4

U. announces new Swearer Center director Summer months see Johnson to lead administrative reshuffling Mathew center, Engaged Scholars Colvin, Klawunn step down, as Locke becomes fourth provost in six academic years

By EMMA HARRIS UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

Three years since Christina Paxson P’19 assumed the presidency at Brown, her senior staff continues to undergo significant turnover with two top administrators leaving their posts in recent months.

Vicki Colvin stepped down as provost June 30 after only one year in the role, remaining a professor of chemistry and engineering and clearing the way for Richard Locke, director of the

INSIDE

Watson Institute for International Studies, to become the University’s 13th provost July 1.

Locke was a finalist in the 2014 search that led to Colvin’s hiring.

Colvin’s tenure as provost lasted just a year before stepping down to “engage in more substantial scholarship,” according to a University press release.

As provost, she helped launch the Summer B-Lab — an entrepreneurship incubator for students — created a position to oversee digital education, alumni programming and other strategic initiatives and helped bring together the Deficit Reduction Working Group to resolve the University’s budget deficit. She also advanced arts programs at » See ADMIN, page 5

Program beginning January 2016

By BAYLOR KNOBLOCH SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Mathew Johnson will assume the roles of director of the Swearer Center for Public Service and associate dean for engaged scholarship effective Jan. 1, 2016, Dean of the College Maud Mandel announced in a Sept. 1 campuswide email.

Johnson currently serves as director of the Office of Academic Community Engagement and associate professor of sociology and environmental studies and sciences at Siena » See JOHNSON, page 4

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

Though administrators at first hoped for a July start date, Mathew Johnson will join the Swearer Center in 2016 after wrapping up his work at Siena.

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

ARTS & CULTURE Students entranced by music of Mark Steinbach at annual midnight organ concert

ARTS & CULTURE Haffenreffer unveils new exhibit, bringing technology into the world of Ancient Egypt

COMMENTARY Doyle ’18: Summertime relaxation has been replaced by an internship frenzy

COMMENTARY Esemplare ’18: Students should understand the difference between bigotry and ignorance

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TOMORROW

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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

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HERALD FILE PHOTO

The Undergraduate Council of Students is planning to restructure itself by organizing around five key priorities, including student wellness and diversity and inclusion. As the council heightens its focus on issues related to the affordability of Brown, it has created an online textbook exchange market to advance that goal.

Student support services emerge as key UCS priorities Leaders intend to focus efforts on sexual assault policy changes, mental health resources, faculty diversity

By MATTHEW JARRELL STAFF WRITER

The Undergraduate Council of Students will prioritize improving the individual student experience this semester, focusing on areas like mental health resources, faculty diversity and sexual assault policy change, UCS leaders said.

While many UCS priorities — including mental health and sexual

assault policy — carry over from previous semesters, topics like student socioeconomic challenges and internal UCS restructuring will see newfound attention this semester.

Under the direction of President Sazzy Gourley ’16, the council will organize its efforts into five thematic categories: student wellness, diversity and inclusion, transparent University governance, campus life and curricular improvements, and UCS

accountability. The five-pronged strategy will be the focus of discussion during the council’s first general body meeting Sept. 16, Gourley said.

“In order to be as proactive as possible, we’re trying to be as comprehensive as possible,” he said. “We’re trying to take a specific stance on what progress we hope to make in all of these areas.”

As campus conversation on sexual assault continues, UCS will make communicating policy changes and driving further changes a top agenda item.

The council will aim to ensure that students understand the new Title IX

processes, Gourley said. UCS will appoint undergraduates to the new Title IX Council and Title IX Oversight and Advisory Board, and it will hold a teach-in this semester to educate the community on issues the boards will address.

UCS will also concentrate efforts on student mental health and wellbeing. Last week, the Mental Health Community Council released its first report, which recommended eliminating the seven-session limit at Counseling and Psychological Services. The council will push the University to implement this recommendation and

hopes administrators establish a “clear plan detailing the timeline and process for how that will happen,” Gourley said. The council will review recommendations for the improvement of mental health services and hold the University accountable for them, he added.

Increasing the diversity of Brown’s faculty remains a key UCS focus. The University will release the Diversity Action Plan this fall, and UCS will facilitate student feedback to the administration by hosting a focus group in September. UCS will also work to ensure that the University delivers on its pledge to double the number of underrepresented minority faculty members by 2024, Gourley said.

A number of UCS committees plan to tackle student socioeconomic obstacles. UCS will “make sure that administrators are sitting in on conversations about how we can change meal plans, summer storage or the way Brown does summer earnings expectations in order to make Brown more affordable to all students who come here,” said UCS Vice President Alana Bhatla ’16.

The UCS Campus Life committee will begin a long-term conversation about the format of meal plans, said committee chair Kevin Garcia ’18. It will also seek to clarify the housing process, including the housing lottery and arrangements needed for living off campus, he said.

“There’s not a lot of carry-over (from year to year) in terms of exactly knowing what you can expect in a certain building,” Garcia said. The committee has a housing guide in the works with the goal of saving students time and money, he said.

The UCS Academic and Administrative Affairs committee recently launched brown.text.com, a textbook exchange website for the Brown community. Students can create an account for free and choose their selling price

» See UCS, page 3

UNIVERSITY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 • PAGE 3

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» CAPS, from page 1 CAPS will still provide therapy only on a short-term basis, eliminating an explicit session limit would align University policies more closely with those of its peers and would be feasible to implement by 2017, according to the report.

“There’s a growing recognition of the fact that the demand for these types of services has increased dramatically — not just at Brown but at every other college,” said Steven Rasmussen ’74 MD’77 P’13, chair of the council and medical director at Butler Hospital. “Just like everywhere else, it’s not like there are unlimited resources. … There has to be some way to use the resources that are available judiciously.”

The council also made several recommendations to ease the transition to non-University providers — an area the University began to address in June by hiring Jorge Vargas as its first student care coordinator. Vargas will help students transition from CAPS providers to others in the greater Providence area.

Accessing providers off campus can be costly for students, as some health insurers do not cover mental health support. To address this, the council suggests improving information about Brown’s student health insurance, which covers unlimited mental health sessions, with a co-pay of $15 each session, said CAPS Director Sherri Nelson.

An MHCC subcommittee will likely meet with the Office of Financial Aid this academic year to discuss

» UCS, from page 2 for old textbooks. “It’s a great costsaving measure that is going to benefit a lot of students,” said Tim Ittner ’18, chair of the committee.

Together with its new initiatives, UCS has already undergone a number of internal changes intended to make the body more efficient and to clarify the roles of internally elected UCS officials. The Management Board, which assesses council structure and is led by the UCS chief of staff, was created by a resolution in April. Its primary focus is giving internally elected officials “an opportunity to be more accountable for what they were meant to do in the first place,” said Elena Saltzman ’16, the first UCS chief of staff.

Saltzman headed a summer working group that altered the process of joining UCS. Previously, new members were required to collect 150 signatures from undergraduates and attend the first UCS general body meeting. The new plan requires just 100 signatures and includes a more organized information session to educate new members on the structure and mission of UCS. “One of the beautiful things about UCS is that anyone can be a part of it, but it’s also very confusing for first-years who want to join,” Saltzman said.

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the cost of Brown’s health insurance for high-need students, according to the report.

The University will continue to grow the CAPS staff this academic year as it seeks two post-doctoral fellows in psychotherapy. Existing staff members’ hours have also seen a “substantial increase” — the equivalent of adding nearly two more providers, according to the report.

These additional hours will facilitate the creation of more appointment slots for students in crisis, allowing CAPS to make sure students who need immediate therapy can be in the office that day, Nelson said.

CAPS has also been placed under the umbrella of Health Services, centralizing their leadership and their missions, said Medical Director of Health Services Unab Khan.

“I am a big proponent of seeing every human being as a whole,” Khan said. “The mind and body are not two different parts.”

The report also outlines a number of changes to the process for medical leaves of absence, which are processed by the Office of Student Life.

The revised process is currently being implemented and includes earlier readmission deadlines for the fall and spring semesters.

Under the new system, students may take summer courses prior to returning with a full course load in the fall semester, and OSL will keep in contact with students on medical leave “so they don’t feel isolated or shunned by the University,” Khan said.

Rasmussen said the number of students who have applied for

The working group also evaluated weekly general body meetings, the main forum for UCS to publicize its work. This semester, in addition to these meetings, UCS will host a greater number of open forums and informal discussions, which will ideally include administrators and faculty members, Saltzman said.

readmission and been denied was “fortunately a very, very small percent of students who come into mental health services.”

The small number of students taking a medical leave has allowed the University to tailor its readmission policy “to each student’s needs” to date, Rasmussen said. Nonetheless, he said he hopes the University will outline more specific criteria for readmission in the future.

The council’s report cites the pervasive “misperception” among students that the University can place them on medical leave against their wishes as a significant deterrent to students who might otherwise seek mental health resources. It recommends better messaging to clarify that all medical leaves for mental health reasons are voluntary, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The report also takes steps to improve and clarify information about mental health resources, recommending that the University develop trainings for students, faculty members

and staff members about referring students to the appropriate campus resources.

The University has already held a training session for “Question, Persuade, Refer,” a nationally recognized suicide prevention program. In addition to the 30 faculty members, students and staff members trained earlier this year, Residential Peer Leaders will also receive training this fall, the report states.

Following student confusion about the purpose of various resources, the council suggested clarifying the role each University office plays in handling specific student needs. Information detailing the functions of various offices on campus would be offered online in an easy-to-use format, the report states.

Part of making these resources accessible on campus means making their availability known to graduate and medical students as well. Though CAPS services are provided to the entire campus, graduate students commonly perceive them as for use only by undergraduates, according

to the report.

Student groups like Active Minds and Project LETS have already been working to expand the reach of mental health support on campus, and the council’s report recommends that the University partner with these groups.

A student hotline, jointly run trainings and a collaborative wellness center that would employ both students and professionals are two options currently under discussion.

Of course, with such sweeping proposals for change, the University must find the monetary resources needed to implement them.

“The operating budget has been an issue overall,” Rasmussen said, but added that “there will be some additional resources that will be allocated toward mental health as a result of what was done by this committee.”

The council will continue to meet this academic year.

The Brown University Community Council will discuss the report and campus mental health at its Sept. 29 meeting, which will be open to the Brown community.

UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

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» ALCOHOL, from page 1 “The Greek and program houses were really on board,” Tompkins said, adding that the Office of Residential Life did not see an increase in the number of unregistered events within these residence halls.

In addition to monitoring houses on Wriston, the report specifically targets the behaviors of student-athletes.

The committee suggested the University create a subcommittee better able to make recommendations on alcohol policy specific to that community.

“Leadership opportunities and positive peer mentoring in the athletics community might help shift the culture of choices around alcohol there,” Shiner said. He added that one student-athlete on the committee suggested framing the argument to athletes about how alcohol may adversely affect their athletic performance.

Gourley, who is a member of the swimming and diving team, said, “Specifically to my team, as we try to become more competitive, there has been a culture shift in our alcohol use.”

Going forward, teams will have to develop alcohol use plans, which will be presented to and approved by the director of athletics annually.

Students found in violation of alcohol policies will face harsher punishments than they have seen in the past, though the report calls them “low-level sanctions.” For underage students found drinking, their first offense will require them to write a reflective essay, according to the report.

A second offense will land them on a

ANGELIA WANG / HERALD

While many students expressed concern that the interim alcohol policies would push social events to off-campus locations, the Office of Residential Life did not see an uptick in off-campus parties requiring DPS intervention, said Kate Tompkins, associate director for off-campus living and programs. one-semester probation and require their participation in a “health education meeting,” and the third offense will lead to a dean’s hearing.

Students hosting unregistered events will face similar punishments, but with less leeway. A first offense will

put them on a one-semester probation, require them to attend a health education meeting and write a reflective essay. A second offense immediately leads to a dean’s hearing.

Groups hosting registered events will no longer have to take on the cost

of hiring event services staff, Shiner said.

“We heard from students that this created a barrier. It encouraged students to host events that were not registered,” he said. “If it’s a barrier to them hosting a safe event, we would rather take the cost away.”

As the University proceeds with campus planning, the committee encouraged it to seek additional spaces where social events could be held.

For now, the University has made the process for students wanting to book existing spaces more flexible.

“Student Activities has put on reservations on activities spaces … so that student groups can have first dibs at those spots,” McMillan said.

Gourley said UCS, along with a

subcommittee comprising members of the review committee and several student leaders, will gather student feedback as the new policies are implemented.

To further measure the effect of these new policies, the recommendations call for a repeat of an alcohol survey conducted in 2012. That survey found that 45 percent of Brown students have consumed five or more drinks at least once in a two week time period, compared to a national college average of 35.6 percent, wrote Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell Carey ’91 MA’06 in a letter to the editor in February.

A new survey is expected to take place in the next several months, Shiner said.

» JOHNSON, from page 1

center’s acting director since Nozaki first decided to temporarily step down in May 2014 after nine years in the role.

“He was clearly a strong leader with well-researched ideas about service and service learning,” Veira said. “He didn’t seem to shy away from having difficult conversations.”

Though Johnson’s work at the University will not officially commence until the turn of the calendar year, he plans to visit campus during the fall semester, Mandel wrote in the email. She also included his personal email address for students who are interested in contacting him before his official arrival.

“He’s raring to go,” Trimble said, adding that he visited campus last week.

In addition to visiting campus, Johnson will also be working with the Swearer Center in a consulting capacity until he officially assumes his post.

“He is going to be leading us through a strategic planning process at Swearer,” Trimble said. “It’s great to have the incoming director lead that process because his vision for the next era of the Swearer Center is crucially important.”

College, his alma mater.

His appointment as the Swearer Center’s director comes a year after Roger Nozaki MAT’89 resigned from the position to serve as a policy adviser at the U.S. Department of Education.

Administrators had hoped to identify Nozaki’s long-term successor last spring so that person could begin July 1, Mandel told The Herald last September.

But the search committee did not make its final hiring decision until Aug. 27, said Olivia Veira ’17, one of two undergraduates on the committee.

“We brought some candidates to campus in the summer, and we had brought a couple in the spring as well,” Mandel said. She declined to comment on the reason for the delay or if the University had made any prior offers for the job.

Johnson will not take over the role until January because he felt he had an ongoing commitment at Siena and needed to stay this semester, Mandel said.

“I’m so excited to have (Johnson) coming on board as the director,” said Kate Trimble, who has served as the

UNIVERSITY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 • PAGE 5

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COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

Vicki Colvin stepped down as provost in May, and Richard Locke took over July 1. Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services Margaret Klawunn left in June for a post at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

» ADMIN, from page 1 Brown, establishing a new vice provost for the arts position and advocating the construction of a new performing arts space.

Locke, the fourth provost in six academic years, was swiftly chosen as her successor, with Paxson praising his leadership in transforming the Watson Institute. He oversaw the integration of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions, fundraising efforts amounting to over $35 million, the creation of a new postdoctoral fellowship program and an increase in the number of Watson faculty members, Paxson wrote in a community-wide email.

Locke also co-chaired the Deficit Reduction Working Group. He will continue to serve as the Watson Institute’s director until a replacement is found.

A month after the Provost’s Office changed hands, then-Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services Margaret Klawunn left the University to become vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The University has not been as quick to find Klawunn’s permanent successor as it was Colvin’s — MaryLou McMillan ’85 and Mary Grace Almandrez are currently serving as interim assistant vice presidents for campus life and student services.

Klawunn’s family ties to the University

of California system informed her decision to seek the new job, she told The Herald in June.

In her 19 years at Brown, Klawunn headed the Office of Student Life. Her tenure saw major changes to student services, including those at Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services and the LGBTQ Center, as well as the renovation and expansion of many campus facilities. She also worked closely with student groups and centers.

In recent years, Klawunn oversaw controversial campus decisions, including the resolution of Lena Sclove’s sexual assault case and the handling of last year’s alleged drugging of two students and the alleged sexual assault of one of the two that same night.

UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

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Summer program for high schoolers brings in $6 million in revenue Enrollment in and revenue from Summer@ Brown have grown dramatically since 2008

By LAUREN ARATANI SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The two sessions of Summer@Brown held this summer generated $6 million in revenue, the highest amount in University history, said Karen Sibley MAT’81 P’07 P’12 P’17, dean of the School of Professional Studies and vice president for strategic initiatives.

The summer program is one of several efforts administrators have made in recent years to diversify the University’s revenue streams and reduce its reliance on undergraduate tuition.

The program draws thousands of high school students to Providence, where they can get a taste of Brown’s academics and campus.

Revenue from the program has tripled since 2007, when it stood at nearly $2 million, Sibley said. It has also increased each year since 2007, jumping from $2.9 million in 2010 to $4 million in 2011, she said.

“The program pays for itself, so the revenue goes to support a variety of different things,” Sibley said.

Portions of the revenue go to various University initiatives: Approximately 30 percent of the revenue is used to support the program, 8 percent goes toward scholarships for Summer@ » See SUMMER, page 7

Summer@Brown Revenue

Annual revenue from Brown’s summer program for high school students has increased from nearly $2 million in 2007 to $6 million in 2015. $6 million 2015

5 4

2011

3 2010

2 2007 1

Source: Karen Sibley, vice president for strategic initiatives JILLIAN LANNEY / HERALD

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 • PAGE 7

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

High school students from across the country converged on College Hill for Summer@Brown, in which they took Brown courses in a variety of disciplines. While many students are compelled to enroll in Summer@Brown by their interest in applying to Brown in the future, attending the program does not increase a student’s chances of getting admitted.

» SUMMER, from page 6 Brown participants, 23 percent goes into the University’s general operating budget, 22 percent goes toward University services and 14 percent goes toward payroll, she said.

The increase in revenue correlates with a rise in student enrollment.

Around 5,000 students participated in the program this summer, marking a 9 percent increase from last summer, Sibley said.

Students who participate in Summer@Brown seek “to get a taste of college life,” said Robin Rose, senior associate dean of the School of Professional Studies, adding that they also experience being away from home and living on a college campus. Participants hailed from all 50 states and around the world to attend Summer@Brown, she said. They could choose from more than 300 one-week to three-week courses, ranging from American Consumer Culture to Introduction to Medicine, she added.

This marked the first summer that the residential advisors held a student activities fair at the beginning of each session, Rose said. During the fair, students were introduced to various opportunities open to them, including political discussions, meditations and guest lectures.

While many students who attend Summer@Brown are interested in applying to Brown in the future, attending the program does not give an advantage in the admission process, Rose said. But some Summer@ Brown participants who have been admitted to the University have ended up enrolling because of their positive experiences at the program, she said.

“Students who take initiative to participate in a summer program, whether at Brown or someplace else, are clearly demonstrating a commitment to their educational experience,” she said.

The Summer@Brown program was open to students who had completed their freshman year of high school, and sessions took place in June and July.

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U. preserves faculty benefits Working group proposes cutting budget for hiring temporary faculty, adding Visiting Scholars program

By ELANA JAFFE STAFF WRITER

The newly released recommendations from the Deficit Reduction Working Group, headed by Provost Richard Locke, plan to resolve the $5 million dollar structural deficit without eroding benefits or laying off employees, Locke said at a Tuesday faculty meeting.

The deficit reduction plan, released in May, targeted employee benefits as sources of savings. The working group — made up of 23 faculty members, students and staff members — was charged with finding $7 million in savings over the next three to five years, Locke said.

The group’s initial recommendations included freezing the Tuition Assistance Program, increasing the health insurance contribution, introducing annual deductibles and changing early retirement policies. After receiving much negative feedback from Brown community members, the group modified the recommendations.

“We actually read through the comments ... and we listened,” Locke said. In the new recommendations, these benefits are untouched. Some of the other recommendations are the

same but now include other initiatives, such as installing energy-saving technologies in buildings for longterm savings, cutting the budget for hiring temporary faculty members by $1 million and introducing a Visiting Scholars program to promote the longterm leasing of visiting scholar housing. The group also cited changes the University could make to save money such as consolidating some of the 70 transportation services employed by the University.

The final, detailed plan will be released next week, followed by an open forum at the end of September, Locke said.

The rights and privileges of emeritus faculty will be a focus for faculty discussion this year, said Thomas Roberts, chair of the Faculty Executive Committee and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. They have “drifted in ambiguity at best” in the past and have gotten increasingly restrictive, he added.

All of the faculty will be required to take an online training course for sexual assault prevention this year, which President Christina Paxson P’19 said “is something we have to take very seriously.”

Conversations about mental health and sexual assault on campus will be among Paxson’s central focuses this year, she said. One of the priorities of the strategic plan is improving the campus climate around these issues, as well as general student health and

well-being.

“There’s an operational side to excellence that we really can’t ignore,” Paxon said, adding that the execution of Building on Distinction and its accompanying capital campaign would make significant progress in building “academic excellence,” which is a pillar of the strategic plan. Her goal is to make “academic excellence” sustainable through recruitment and finance.

The most important investment the University will make is in people, Paxson said. Forty-six new members of the faculty were welcomed at the meeting, and many more were promoted — not only faculty members of the College, but also of the School of Public Health and of Alpert Medical School.

Paxson also added that investing in people includes faculty chairs, financial aid, graduate fellowships and diversity initiatives. Flexible academic priorities, financial resources and financial and operational systems are also essential, she said.

The strategic plan’s programs include enhancing the curriculum, furthering the Engaged Scholars Program, strengthening research infrastructure and promoting integrative themes of scholarship. Other initiatives include new facilities, such as the engineering building under construction, the performing arts center being planned, a renovation of the Sharpe Refectory, new athletics facilities and other campus life priorities, Paxson said.

ARTS & CULTURE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 • PAGE 9

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New Bell Gallery exhibit transcends photography to highlight social injustice Works by renowned artist Hank Willis Thomas highlight past and present racism in America

By GABRIELLE DEE ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Bronze arms protruding from bare white walls and multiple projections playing simultaneously add a new dimension to the photographs in Hank Willis Thomas’ exhibit, “Primary Sources.”

In the exhibit, which opens Sept.

11 in the David Winton Bell Gallery, Thomas strings together historical artifacts of America’s ongoing struggle with racism and discrimination. He assembles them in new ways to create his own “primary sources” that describe today’s social conflicts, “using them to point out and strengthen the message in those works,” said Jo-Ann

Conklin, director of the Bell Gallery.

“Thomas draws our attention to things we know about but don’t pay attention to,” she said.

Thomas is renowned in the art world for his photographs, and his work has decorated museums including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. His pieces transcend the passive experience of looking at a static photograph, as he “pushes the boundaries” of the wellworn medium, said Alexis Lowry Murray, curator of the Bell Gallery.

“It’s in your face, and it’s an instant part of your reality,” said Jennifer Avery ’16.5, a monitor at the gallery.

Entering the Bell Gallery, viewers will notice that the walls are anything

but flat. Along one side, bronze sculptures of drowning men recall a more classical approach to art and reflect a disturbing image of human solidarity in suffering. Beside these sculptures, a large plastic button proclaiming “KEEP THE FAITH BABY” in bright Pop Art-like text offsets the exhibit’s heavy themes with a message of hope.

In creating three-dimensional pieces, Thomas makes “an object that isolates those gestures, brings them to focus more completely,” Conklin said.

Viewers who follow this wall end up in a dark room, with video clips of people including acclaimed writer James Baldwin and various news reporters speaking about the struggle against racism, past and present.

Though some faces flicker in black and white while others are from newscasts of recent events, the voices form a united chorus that demonstrates

how racism in America remains unchanged.

“He’s taking things Baldwin was saying in the 70’s and juxtaposing them with current events, and it seems like nothing has changed,” Conklin said, adding that this piece is her favorite in the exhibition.

The Bell Gallery’s curators chose to display Thomas’ work because he shows a “real commitment to social justice,” and his art is “accessible and legible to a variety of audiences,” Murray said. His work also demonstrates an artist’s power to raise awareness about social issues, she said.

The exhibit also features seemingly traditional photos that, upon closer examination, reveal hidden messages in their play with different media. A pair of portraits of silicone, fiberglass and metal finish called “Amandla” feature a black youth carrying chairs

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away from a blaze and another carrying an inverted American flag in his fist. Though the subjects hold the realism of a photo, their backgrounds are glossy, ill-defined spaces that reflect the viewer’s gaze. This technique highlights “our own relationship to history and the civil rights movement in the U.S.,” Murray said.

Beside these portraits, two bright white paintings hang side by side: One portrays an American flag in the wind, while another shows a single man in a vast blank space. Scenes of violence are projected behind the proud flag, and an overwhelming crowd is projected beside the lone man.

“It’s emotional and intellectual at the same time,” Avery said. “It affects the body and the heart and the mind all at once.”

The exhibit opens Friday and runs through Oct. 25.

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 10 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Organist Mark Steinbach masters music of midnight Internationally acclaimed musician warmed by expansive midnight crowd gathered at Sayles Hall

By JACLYN TORRES STAFF WRITER

As the clock struck midnight Monday morning, 500 undergraduates lay on the floor of Sayles Hall, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Mark Steinbach, University organist and lecturer in music. Pillows and blankets were strewn around the hall amidst makeshift forts and huddled bodies. Steinbach emerged onto the balcony, looking out to the crowd briefly before turning to face the instrument.

A seasoned organist and long-time Brown professor, Steinbach told The Herald he had no qualms going into the Midnight Organ Concert. “I need an audience to perform well,” he said.

The first notes from the organ were composed by French organist, Jehan Alain. The beautiful melody carried fluidly throughout the hall — as sounds drifted to the students’ ears, bodies moved naturally to the rhythm of the score.

Steinbach transitioned seamlessly between the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Claude Debussy, Cesar Franck and Richard Strauss. By the end of the fifth piece, students sat up on their elbows in an attempt to glimpse Steinbach at the organ, stirred by his performance.

Steinbach was similarly impressed

by his listeners. “I love looking down at the audience in the middle of the performance,” Steinbach said. “I can see all the faces, enthusiastically looking up at me, and I am always surprised by which pieces move people.”

At the end of his penultimate piece, Steinbach paused, anticipating the crowd’s reaction, before launching into his final piece. The crowd responded immediately, as students gasped, exchanged looks across the hall and shouted encouragement. The enthusiasm erupted in response to “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams, the most famous melody from the score of the “Harry Potter” films.

“It’s so fun to finish my recitals with the ‘Harry Potter’ piece,” Steinbach said.“The audience is taken by surprise and is excited to recognize a score.”

Steinbach takes great pride in his instrument. The organ looming in Sayles is a massive Hutchings-Votey, built in Boston in 1903. Upon first glance, viewers may believe the organ only comprises a keyboard and the large gold pipes mounted to the back of the hall.

But two wooden doors across from the keyboard reveal numerous rows of pipes.

Through the doors lie multiple access passageways used to repair the pipes and maintain their unique sound.

Ninety years after the organ was built, in 1993, Steinbach joined the University faculty in the music department.

His arrival at the University revived the tradition of the Midnight Organ Concert. “The Sayles Hall organ was out

HERALD FILE PHOTO

In 1970, a hurricane caused major water damage to Sayles Hall and its organ. They have since been restored, along with the longstanding tradition of the midnight organ concert, which Steinback brought back in 1993. of commission for a number of years,” Steinbach said. “It fell into a state of disrepair in the 1970s and then a hurricane hit and caused major water damage to the instrument. The University used insurance money to restore the organ.”

Over the past 22 years, Steinbach has worked tirelessly to perfect each of his performances. He has studied music his entire life and spends time each summer

continuing his musical education. Steinbach spent this past summer taking an organ history tour in Germany, where he had the opportunity to play some of the oldest organs in the world — the oldest one dating back to 1588. Next summer, he will head to Paris, where he will play in the Notre Dame Cathedral.

“I’ve played all over the world,” Steinbach said, “but I’ve never played in Paris

or in such a place as the Notre Dame Cathedral. I’m really excited.”

Steinbach is currently collaborating with two other composers at Brown on a pair of new pieces, slated to premiere on campus in fall 2016. “Knowing that people can be moved by this music inspires me to learn new pieces,” Steinbach said. “I want to bring music to life. Otherwise it would just be a score.”

ARTS & CULTURE THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 • PAGE 11

Exhibit combines modern science with ancient worlds Interactive displays allow viewers to delve into Brown’s collection of Egyptian artifacts

By ASHNA MUKHI STAFF WRITER

Upon entering the cool, dark lair of the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, visitors are greeted by an engraved tomb, a mummified figure and small bronze fish. The objects are part of the museum’s latest exhibit, “Uncovering Ancient Egypt: Ancient Crafts, Modern Technologies.”

Curated by Jennifer Thum GS and Julia Troche GS, the interactive exhibit features collections that Brown researchers are currently studying.

While the Haffenreffer has featured interactive exhibits in the past, it has not provided many opportunities for people to learn about the archaeological work that goes into understanding the objects displayed, Thum said. The exhibit aims to show the audience how modern technologies such as X-rays, CT scans and photography can teach about the construction and uses of ancient objects.

“We want to give people a chance to get to know what the researchers do,” Thum said.

Researchers rely on new technology to distinguish between objects that appear similar but were in fact manufactured differently. For instance, University researchers used XRF, which involves shooting lasers to uncover an object’s elemental composition, to analyze the seemingly identical bronze fish figures. The analysis showed that the fish may

have different metal compositions: While some date back to ancient Egypt, others are likely modern fakes.

The analysis of the objects in the exhibit required a joint effort across the Brown community, said Troche.

One of the objects featured in the exhibit is a mummified ibis, a large bird.

To determine whether the mummy was real or replicated, Thum and Troche collaborated with members of the Alpert Medical School and Rhode Island Hospital to perform CT scans and X-ray analysis on the object. The scans revealed that the mummy contains an entire ibis inside, and researchers are currently working on producing a 3D print of the ibis skeleton for further study.

The exhibit was also designed to be accessible to children and the larger Providence community, Thum said. The limestone funerary slab featuring images of tomb owners involves a hands-on element: People can switch lights on and off to view different parts of the block, she said.

“We have put in many different layers to cater to the different audience members,” Troche said. The exhibit also includes iPads with PowerPoint slide shows for people interested in exploring each artifact in more detail.

Thum said she would like the audience to think about the process that goes into figuring out what an artefact at a museum is and where it comes from.

“We want the audience to get a sense of agency from this exhibit, to feel like they are part of this process,” Troche said. “We want them to participate in the discovery and analysis of these pieces and to learn with us.”

HERALD FILE PHOTO

The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology hopes to reel in visitors in with a new, interactive exhibit that allows them to glimpse and understand more of the technical process behind archaeological discoveries.

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 12 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

G AT E S TO G R E E N

RYAN WALSH / HERALD

Members of the class of 2019 listen to President Christina Paxson P’19 talk at Convocation after walking through the Van Wickle Gates.

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 • PAGE 13

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

c o n - va c at i o n

menu SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Stir Fry and Curries, Po’Boy Sandwiches Pizzas: Honey Boo Boo, Pizza Bianco, Polynesian Teriyaki JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Baked Potato Soup, Hearty Country Vegetable

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Fresh Beets in Orange Sauce, Spinach and Arugula Saute, Chicken Sandwich

Salmon Teriyaki, Orange Veggie Pad Thai, Pork Chops with Bread Crumbs, Grilled Bok Choy

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Spinach and Arugula Saute, Vegan Spanish Lentils, Mac n’ Cheese, Pumpkin Whoopie Pie

Mexican Cornbread Casserole, Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes, Grilled Cilantro Chicken

sudoku

RELEASE DATE– Monday, January 21, 2013

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c r o s s w o r d Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Furry foot 4 Sign of healing 8 Affectedly trendy 14 Earth Day prefix 15 Corn Belt state 16 Muzzleloading aid 17 Chinese dog with a blue-black tongue 19 Pierce with a point 20 Ward on TV 21 New York’s __ Island 23 26th of 26 24 NBA position 26 Doctor whom Captain Kirk calls “Bones” 29 Love, Italian-style 31 Tot’s toy on a track 34 Doo-wop syllable 35 College football’s Famous __ Potato Bowl 37 Molecule parts 38 Adds color to 40 Cup edge 41 Sensitive spots 42 Texas A&M athlete 43 Port west of Paris 45 __-Caps: candy 46 “Make it snappy!”

48 Walks without going anywhere 50 Red giant in the night sky 51 “Sting like a bee” boxer 52 Chicken __ king 54 Winner’s gesture 57 A dime a dozen, e.g.

61 One-named Tejano singer 64 “Bottoms up!”

66 Pennsylvania home of Lafayette College 67 Steaks and burgers 68 Off-road ride, briefly 69 Mambo cousin 70 Pell-__: hastily 71 Dim sum sauce

DOWN 1 Bench-presser’s pride 2 Aleve target 3 What daydreamers gather, metaphorically 4 [Not a typo] 5 Made logical sense 6 Troop truant 7 Cry like a baby 8 Big name in cooking oil 9 It’s often smoked 10 Little troublemaker 11 Victor at Little Bighorn 12 Swiss cheese feature 13 Nantes notion 18 City SSW of Dallas 22 Announcement while coming through the door 25 Divide in threes 27 By the seashore 28 Septi- plus one 29 End on __ note 30 Fruit-based chip dip

31 Tweet 32 Broken mirrors, to some 33 __ buco: veal dish 34 Opp. of legato, in music 36 Shady spots 39 Helpful hints 44 Brittany or cocker 47 Largest city of the West Indies 49 Cosmo concern: Abbr.

52 “Hang on __!”

53 Rachel’s sister 55 SALT subject 56 Indian butter 58 “Got it!” cries 59 Longtime Yugoslav president 60 Green emotion?

62 And so on: Abbr.

63 Japanese drama 65 Org. with Giants and Titans

RYAN WALSH / HERALD

President Christina Paxson P’19 marks the end of summer vacation and the beginning of the new school year with a smile, all while welcoming the class of 2019 to Brown’s campus during Convocation.

comics P Branes and Bosons | Ricky Oliver ‘17

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

calendar

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Effective Interviewing 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. CareerLAB

Brown Language Festival 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. Main Green

Advanced Screening of “The Visit” 7:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M. Granoff, Martinos Auditorium

TOMORROW

By C.C. Burnikel (c)2013 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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Rachel Stern, Political Reliability and the Chinese Bar Exam 4:00 P.M. - 5:30 P.M. Watson Institute

Artist Talk, Dana Gluckstein 4:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. Watson Institute

Activities Fair 7:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. OMAC

COMMENTARY PAGE 14 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORS’ NOTE

Welcome to Brown Dear class of 2019 and new transfer students, Welcome to Brown! We hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know College Hill so far.

We also hope you engage with the Brown community and remain informed about campus issues during your time here, and we strive to help you do that.

Our mission is to inform and entertain the Brown community by producing relevant and engaging content across a variety of platforms.

We took a break from print publication over the summer, and this marks our first issue back. We print every weekday when classes are in session, covering campus and local news, arts and culture, science and research, sports and more. You can read us online anytime at browndailyherald.com.

Readers can expect a couple of exciting changes this semester. A revamped sports section will bring you closer to the experience of student-athletes as we pursue more in-depth features about the nuances of Brown athletics and the delicate balance between the competing demands of academics and athletics. We’re also looking forward to introducing a new photo essay blog, The Foreground, later this month to showcase the work of our talented photojournalists in a new format.

For a more informal take on relevant news and goings-on, you can head to BlogDailyHerald, our 24/7 blog, at blogdailyherald.com. Starting next Thursday, you can also read Post-, our weekly insert offering commentary on pop culture, food and sex.

The Herald’s office is located at 195 Angell St. We’d love to have you join our journalism staff in any number of roles, including writing, photography, videography, design, graphics, illustrations, copy editing and social media. And we have more than just journalism opportunities to offer. As an organization independent from the University not only editorially but also financially, The Herald is the largest student-run business at Brown, and we have an entire team dedicated to our business operations. We also have a growing web team that focuses on building and improving our websites, which have hundreds of thousands of visitors per semester. Attend an open house to learn more about getting involved. Journalism open houses will take place Friday, Sept.

11 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. Business open houses will occur Friday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. Our web open house will be scheduled later; please email 125@browndailyherald.com if you’re interested in joining the web team.

We wish you the best of luck at Brown. We can’t wait to put your name in print.

M I R A N DA F R I E L

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

“I want to bring music to life. Otherwise it would just be a score.”

— Mark Steinbach, university organist and lecturer in music

See organ on page 10.

Editors’ notes are written by the 125th Editorial Board: Michael Dubin ’16, Maxine Joselow ’16, Kiki Barnes ’16, Jillian Lanney ’16, Isobel Heck ’16 and Molly Schulson ’16.

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015 • PAGE 15

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

In defense of simpler summers ALLIE DOYLE opinions columnist

I distinctly remember posing for my mother in my new suit at the end of May, looking like a little girl playing dress up in business attire. Her smartphone camera flashed a few times, and within moments the picture of her high-achieving daughter awaiting the first day of her summer internship was on display for all of our friends and family on Facebook to see. I was excited to work in a real law firm, to see if my newfound passion could be my future career. Still, it all felt like a bit of a charade.

A few minutes later, my boss, my uncle, arrived in my driveway to escort me to my first day. I hadn’t done anything special to deserve the opportunity; I had merely made a phone call and asked for some work experience. It wasn’t a job of much prestige, but it would earn me enough money to fund my burrito habit through the school year. Yet I couldn’t help the pangs of jealousy and inadequacy I felt as I scrolled through my newsfeed, watching my classmates assist at orphanages in Africa or work for big-shot politicians. I wondered if anyone felt the same way about a small job, but I strongly doubted it.

There is tremendous pressure on

Brown students to make good use of their summers. In case you forget, the Center for Careers and Life After Brown is sure to send you dozens of emails a week reminding you to build a resume, check out new internships, fill out surveys and submit your summer story to inspire your fellow students. And it isn’t just CareerLAB there to remind you. As soon as April hits, your classmates bombard you with questions of “What are you doing this summer?” And everyone knows the

ences during the summer. A richer resume can open doors to more elite careers and an overall better reputation for the University. But what are we giving up in return?

It’s important to realize that elite internships are simply impossible for many students. They often end up costing families money on transportation and meals while providing no compensation. The summer can be a vital time for students to earn money to contribute toward their tuition costs, and un-

or city for the summer. As a freshman with fragile mental health, the thought of spending both the academic year and summer apart from my family and home was unbearable. Plus, many internships are highly competitive, and application processes can be subjective. Put bluntly, someone will always have what you consider a “better” opportunity than you.

But you are not defined by your summer activities. Do not be fooled by the rapid influx of Facebook pro-

There is no simple formula for the perfect summer, and only you can know what is best for you.

unspoken rule that “nothing” is not an acceptable answer.

Back in middle school, summer was the ultimate paradise: a break from the grueling hours of school, a time to sleep late and watch cartoons. But for high school students vying for a spot at an elite college and college students working toward a job after graduation, the summer can be even more backbreaking than the academic year. Of course, it’s in the best interest of institutions like Brown to encourage students to get meaningful experi-

paid internships can be unfeasible.

One student at Georgetown University estimated the cost of living in Washington D.C. for a summer intern to be a whopping $3,585! Take into account the opportunity lost to make another $3,500 at a fulltime minimum wage job and you’re looking at a potential deficit of over $7,000. That’s about 13 percent of a typical Rhode Island family’s income, and all but impossible for a lower-income family to afford. Furthermore, many internships require students to relocate to a new town

file pictures of your peers holding impoverished children from small villages across the world. Your classmates making flashy shows of their accomplishments are worried they might be inadequate, too. As bestselling author and pastor Steve Furtick once said, “The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”

The line between the awe-inspiring word “internship” and a simple summer job is thin. It is okay to get a simple job during your break

from intense academia. It is okay to spend your summer with your family. Other students are doing the same. You still are worthy of an Ivy League degree, and you will still find a wonderful job one day.

Here’s a little secret: Studies have shown that unpaid internships don’t actually affect your likelihood of receiving a job offer after graduation.

But if you do happen upon an internship, make the most of it. Learn everything you can about the field and be proud of your work. Don’t waste valuable time flaunting your experience on Instagram or comparing yourself to your Facebook friends. There is no simple formula for the perfect summer, and only you can know what is best for you.

Whenever another Brown student asks me what I did this summer, after recounting their wonderful opportunities to me, I fight the urge to exaggerate my own experience with flashy half-truths about the glamor of interning in Manhattan. Instead, I simply say that I worked for my uncle at a firm that represents car dealerships. I may not have done ground-breaking research for the government or started my own nonprofit, but neither did most of my peers. And that’s okay.

Allie Doyle ’18 is probably at Baja’s.

Sense and sensitivity NICHOLAS ESEMPLARE opinions columnist

Last week, a Duke University student made national news for refusing to read an assigned summer book, the graphic novel Fun Home, saying its theme of gay sexuality and risque illustrations may compromise his moral beliefs. This stance is the latest in what has been a stream of conflicts about political correctness at American universities. This debate hinges upon the right of students to be protected from potentially offensive or distressing ideas. Articles often reference the increasing use of “trigger warnings” — a phrase posted at the top of a syllabus or blog or other text to warn people about a potentially distressing topic — and a new emphasis on campus “safe spaces.” The discussion raises a significant issue of whether the motivation to shield students from potential offense can be harmful to the intellectual environments that colleges hope to create.

In our zealousness to enforce a policy of shielding students, we neglect to consider that perhaps protecting them from ideas that offend them or make them uncomfortable is not in their best interest or that of the university.

This past spring, I attended a new member education meeting for members of Brown’s fraternities and sororities on alcohol and hazing. I remember little of the talk, except for a moment near the end when a student angrily chastised the speaker for his use of a hetero-

normative example. I recall that watching the speaker hastily bluster out a defensive apology, I felt sorry for him. It was clear from my perspective, and from the perspective of others with whom I discussed the incident later, that the offense with which he had been charged was an unintentional one.

A few weeks later, I received an email indicating that the speaker would not be asked back next year, due in part to his use of het-

sive, zero-tolerance attitude toward even accidental offenses replaces discussion and argumentation with a crusade-like effort to stomp out the opposition rather than educate it. It is important to distinguish between bigotry and ignorance and to understand that disagreement does not mean bigotry either.

This idea extends to texts or discussion in a classroom. A professor who assigns a racist book is not racist, and a politically incor-

An often all too aggressive, zero-tolerance attitude toward even accidental offenses replaces discussion and argumentation with a crusade-like effort to stomp out the opposition rather than educate it.

eronormative examples. In the email, an administrator apologized to anyone whom the speaker “made … uncomfortable or feel attacked.” Now there may be something else about the speech that offended, something that I missed, but remembering the look on the speaker’s face after his blunder, the word “attack” seemed out of place.

This highlights what I see as a problem with the recent crackdown on potentially offensive statements. An often all too aggres-

rect text can nonetheless be an important one.

As Professor of Comparative Literature Arnold Weinstein — the author of a New York Times article, “Closed Minds, Great Books,” on the subject — wrote to me in an email for this column, “I do try to remain sensitive to what offends in the materials I assign. … But novels are not treatises, and they are meant to display issues rather than resolve or adjudicate them. Novels that display racial or sexual discrimination do not work to advocate these

views but rather teach us to reflect on the conditions that created them, and we must not silence the lessons of the past because they unnerve us today.”

What I essentially see in this trend is good motives and well-intentioned activism being employed counterproductively. This article in no way aims to discredit the motives behind the recent effort to eliminate offensive words and ideas, or to overblow the effect that it has on American education. But disallowing discomfiting viewpoints is and always will be contrary to the intellectual and moral development of individuals, and it is often only in contact with opposition that our ideas and values truly take shape. Dealing with the existence and expression of conflicting opinions is one of life’s greatest challenges, and to shield oneself from the task of dealing with such opinions is to ignore the context in which real-life decisions are and must be made. Fostering intellectual environments and protecting the psychological wellbeing of marginalized groups are not mutually exclusive, and there is no reason to believe that the two could not coexist. Thus far, universities and students have been asking the right questions but reaching the wrong conclusions. It’s easier to fire a speaker than deal with the root of the issue, and if you seek to effect change, you cannot face those who oppose you with the same close-mindedness you are so quick to accuse them of.

Nicholas Esemplare ’18 is an English and economics double concentrator.

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Attend an open house to learn more.

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