Thursday, October 29, 2015

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

VOLUME CL, ISSUE 95

WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

Plans for bridge, parks resume Paxson highlights bridge investments in people Pedestrian connecting East Side, University to prioritize support, recruitment of community members over new construction

By MATTHEW JARRELL STAFF WRITER

President Christina Paxson P’19 emphasized the importance of investment in students, faculty and staff in a discussion of the “BrownTogether” comprehensive campaign with the Undergraduate Council of Students Wednesday.

“When I think about a university, I know that the most important thing is the people who are here and how brilliant, interesting and diverse they are,” Paxson said. “Infrastructure and programs that bring in talented staff members” as well as support for faculty and students will ensure the success of the University, she said.

Brown is substantially lacking in comparison with peer institutions when it comes to endowed chairs. Only 16 percent of faculty members have this distinction — far lower than the average at other Ivy League schools, which can approach 50 percent, Paxson said.

The $1 billion goal for the “people” portion of the campaign includes funds for the creation of 115 endowed chairs, which range in cost from $2 million for

an assistant professorship to $5 million for a professorship.

“The market for faculty is very competitive,” Paxson said, noting that an endowed chair position is considered an “honor” at many universities. The introduction of more endowed chairs will boost Brown’s ability to recruit talented faculty, she said.

In regards to another section of the campaign that focuses on campus development, Paxson said building new structures is not a priority.

“We didn’t want to have a campaign that focused on bricks and mortar,” she said. “Our goal is to renovate where we can renovate and build only when we have to build.”

Ryan Lessing ’17, UCS community relations liaison, asked about prioritization of renovation and construction of dormitories, noting student support for renovation of specific residence halls.

In response, Paxson said the topic of new dormitories will be addressed following the conclusion of a longerterm conversation regarding growth in the student body size. Renovations will remain less of a consideration than other development initiatives, specifically the construction of a new $88 million, 80,000-square-foot School of Engineering building and a performing arts center, she said. » See UCS, page 3

Jewelry District to feature cafe, fishing piers

By MARIAH KENNEDY CUOMO STAFF WRITER

A pedestrian bridge connecting the Jewelry District to the East Side is set to begin construction in summer 2016, setting in motion plans that were put on hold by a series of setbacks. Development of a 2-acre park and a 5-acre park on the east and west sides of the Providence River, respectively, is also underway.

The pedestrian bridge will be built on former highway land once designated as the potential site of a new Pawtucket Red Sox stadium. Deliberations over the stadium deal dragged on between PawSox representatives and the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission over the past year, delaying plans for the bridge.

Providence residents expressed disapproval while the deal was being negotiated. When the University priced the additional land needed by the PawSox to build the stadium at $15 million, the deal fell through, The Herald reported at the time.

Almost 90 percent of the Jewelry District Association’s 55 voting members voted in favor of the parks and the

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LAURA FELENSTEIN / HERALD

bridge rather than the PawSox ballpark.

“There was a lot of talk. There were a lot proposals floating back and forth,” said Dyana Koelsch, spokeswoman for the I-195 Commission.

“It’s not new,” Koelsch added. “We were always going to have a park.”

In June 2014, the bridge was supposed to be completed by spring 2016, and the parks were supposed to be finished by fall 2016, the Providence Journal reported. But a revised timeline from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation reported that construction on the bridge will begin summer 2016, and construction on the parks will begin 12 to 18 months afterwards.

Bridge construction was put on pause in March due to a technical issue and once again in June due to funding

issues. The design of the bridge is 90 percent complete, and the design of park is 30 percent complete, Koelsch said.

In 2009, the I-195 Pedestrian Bridge Committee initiated meetings about design concepts for a pedestrian bridge, and the city settled upon the creation of a Selection Committee to generate a design contest. Specifications included that the design must incorporate the theme of the “city’s history, innovation, creativity, design excellence,” according to a brochure published by the Providence Department of Planning and Development. Later in 2010, a design by the firm inFORM Studio was selected.

“We have been planning this park and the bridge for 12 years,” said Arthur » See BRIDGE, page 2

Open government groups demand transparency Five groups meet with governor’s administration, discuss mishandling of APRA requests

By SHAWN YOUNG STAFF WRITER

SAM BERUBE/HERALD

Andrews Commons serves pizza, cookie pies, brownies and paninis daily. Several students said they would like to see a wider variety of healthy options available on campus, specifically at Andrews.

Students chew out Dining Services over food Despite criticism, Ratty and V-Dub offer local produce, make efforts to consider sustainability

By ELENA WEISSMANN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Three pieces of breaded chicken from the Verney-Woolley Dining Hall on

INSIDE

Chicken Finger Friday packs in 430 calories, according to the Brown Dining Services’ nutrition website.

One serving of vegetarian spinach strudel — an entree at the Sharpe Refectory on Thursday — contains 519 calories and 96 percent of the recommended daily intake of saturated fat.

“At Andrews Commons now

SCIENCE & RESEARCH

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THURSDAY, OC TOBER 29, 2015

UNIVERSITY NEWS Camp Kesem kicks off $30,000 fundraising effort to start weeklong camp session this summer PAGE 4

during the weekends, they serve donuts, bacon and glazed toppings. It’s like they want us to get diabetes,” said Claire Detrick-Jules ’17. “Sometimes it’s tough to make healthy choices because the desserts and sweets look so much more appetizing than the healthy food,” she added.

During the week, Andrews offers variations of pizza, paninis and Asian » See FOOD, page 2

Members of Gov. Gina Raimondo’s staff and open government groups met Oct. 20 to discuss the administration’s lack of responsiveness to and denial of Access to Public Records Act requests.

Representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, the Providence Journal, the Newport Daily News and ACCESS/RI, a coalition of organizations that aims to improve citizen access to records and processes of the state government, were present at the meeting, among others.

The meeting was held in response to a letter sent by five open

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government groups — ACCESS/RI, the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Press Association, the New England First Amendment Coalition and the League of Women Voters of Rhode Island — detailing how, in three specific cases, the Raimondo administration did not follow the guidelines of APRA. Instead the administration denied these requests when there was no reason for them to be denied. The letter also urged Raimondo to issue an executive order that “emphasizes (her) administration’s commitment to open government.”

The meeting allowed these groups to air their grievances and ensure that the administration understands the gravity of a lack of transparency, said Steven Brown, executive director of the RIACLU. “The key thing about the meeting was everybody in the governor’s staff was put on notice that these problems were occurring and (that) something » See APRA, page 2

COMMENTARY Undergraduate Council of Students: Diversity Action Plan must be specific and transparent

COMMENTARY Li ’14: Students should consider humanistic values in order to form unified voice, vision

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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

»FOOD, from page 1 fusion cuisine as well as cookie pie and brownies. Josiah’s, the University’s late-night eatery, offers fries, fried chicken sandwiches, quesadillas, mozzarella sticks, cheeseburgers, cookies and a chopped salad bar.

The college lifestyle is infamous for packing on the pounds, and Tracy Bergeron, nutritionist at Health Services, wrote in an email to The Herald that she does not think Brown is exempt from this trend.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily easy to make healthy eating choices in general, so Brown would be no exception,” Bergeron wrote.

Decisions related to nutrition “take forethought and planning, in part of what is likely an already busy day. With that said, I do believe there are a variety of healthy eating choices

» BRIDGE, from page 1 Salisbury, president of the Jewelry District Association, who served on both the committee to select the bridge designer and park designer.

The State Transportation Improvement Program currently lists the budget for the bridge at $6 million, while the current budget estimate is $5.5 million.

The bridge’s east side opens up toward James Street and Transit Street, in addition to offering access to a riverfront walk to the north and south. The west side bridge opens up to a sculpture and wildflower garden. The garden provides for several paths toward Ship

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

available on campus,” she wrote.

Menus are designed to offer students minimally processed carbohydrates, healthful fats and plant-based proteins, wrote Jessie Curran, dietician for Dining Services, in an email to The Herald.

Curran, the University’s culinary team, the purchasing team and Dining Services administrators formulate the menu offered in the Ratty and V-Dub. The group examines each week’s menus one month prior to their appearance in the dining halls. Decisions are made based on nutrition, sustainability, aesthetic quality of meals and plate cost, Curran wrote.

In addition to these guidelines, menus at the main dining halls always offer one vegetarian and one vegan entree, two meat entrees and three vegetable sides.

But multiple students said they

would appreciate a wider variety of healthy options, such as nuts and more fresh fruit and vegetables.

“You can make healthy eating choices if you plan it right, but I think you do have to choose what eatery you want to go to — Andrews Commons definitely has less healthy options,” said Naima Msechu ’17.

Students today seem more conscientious than ever about eating a healthful diet, Curran wrote. “We’ve made changes this year to reflect that by increasing vegetable options, increasing use of ancient grains and expanding the salad bar options,” she wrote.

Dining Services aims to serve locally grown foods in part because produce that spends little time in storage undergoes less “nutrient degradation,” wrote Assistant Chef Aaron Fitzenry in an email to The Herald.

Thirty-five percent of the University’s food is sourced locally, Curran wrote, and Dining Services works with more than 50 local farms and farmers to supply ingredients for residential dining.

For example, the University purchases its beef from Niman Ranch, a distributor of “all-natural meats raised by small family farmers,” according to its website. Cattle from Niman Ranch are fed a 100 percent vegetarian diet and do not receive hormone or antibiotic treatments, Curran wrote.

The University was ranked 19th on the food website the Daily Meal’s “75 Best Colleges for Food in America” list in 2015, placing Brown above several other Ivy League institutions, including Yale (21st), Harvard (24th) and Princeton (44th). The ranking reflects efforts in nutrition, sustainability, accessibility, service and

education.

Despite the high ranking, students expressed mixed reactions on the quality of food served on campus.

“I feel like the food is tasteless, and although there is a wide range of choice in the Ratty, I’m never able to find anything I actually want to eat,” said Emily Haynes-Simmons ’18. “And the chicken is always overcooked.”

“The Ratty has a lot of variety, but it’s poor quality food,” said Jessica Simon ’18. “I want them to actually care about what they’re serving us.”

Other students had very few complaints. “I think it’s pretty good in terms of quality, but it’s a little bit expensive,” said Tomoki Ishizuka ’19.

Some improvements students want to see include healthier options at Andrews Commons, more seafood and a wider variety of breakfast cereals.

Street, Dorrance Street Promenade, Peck Street and the Riverwalk.

The bridge will be made of gluelaminated timber and high strength steel tension rods to foster a “warm aesthetic,” according to a brochure published by inFORM Studio. The bridge will be 12 feet in width and 65 feet in length.

The bridge will have multiple tiers, which will include a cafe, space for vendors, bench seating, planters and access to fishing piers.

The City of Providence will own the bridge once construction is complete, and the I-195 Commission will maintain the structure.

The park will draw more business to the district, Salisbury said. Business owners want a “good place to live, good place to work and good place to recreate,” he said.

Salisbury said he is most excited about connecting residents from both sides of the river to other neighborhoods. The parks will also provide much-needed open space in the Jewelry District, he said.

Currently, the majority of the land freed by the relocation of I-195 is vacant. But once the land is developed, these parks will be “the only open space left,” Salisbury said, adding, “I can’t wait for them to get it started.”

» APRA, from page 1

heads should not need encouragement from Raimondo’s staff because transparency is required through the law, she added.

But the memo “was a good beginning for a discussion,” Levin said, adding that she thinks the groups will see change from the administration.

The problem is not unique to the Raimondo administration — it happens “in every administration,” she said.

“But this is why you have to have these watchdog groups,” she added.

“If we don’t know what the government is doing, we don’t really have a democracy.”

needs to be done about it,” Brown said.

During the meeting, the governor’s staff agreed to conduct a review of each of the APRA denials that formed the basis for the letter, Brown added.

During the meeting, Stephen Neuman, the governor’s chief of staff, distributed a memo that he had also sent to every department head. The memo encouraged each department to increase transparency and timeliness in its response to APRA requests, said Linda Levin, president of ACCESS/RI. The memo was “not the strongest statement,” Levin said. Department

UNIVERSITY NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

This Week in Higher Ed

BY DREW WILLIAMS, UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

U. of Mississippi takes down state flag

BEN MARTEL / HERALD

The Undergraduate Council of Students heard from President Paxson P’19 and approved a statement on the Diversity Action Plan Wednesday.

» UCS, from page 1 While alums expressed approval of recent renovations of “upper Pembroke dormitories” and Keeney Quadrangle, few have voiced willingness to donate to additional dorm renovation projects, Paxson said.

In a discussion on improvements to financial aid, Paxson noted a disconnect between alumni perceptions of the need for financial aid and the realities for current students. “A lot of alums think, ‘We’re need-blind; we’re done with that,’” she said. The University’s ultimate longterm goal is to meet the full financial need of every student, and alums should be encouraged to donate to support this goal from the moment they graduate, she added.

A way to connect with younger alums is to tailor fundraising efforts to

individuals who belonged to specific organizations on campus, Paxson said. “We want to connect alums back into clubs that were important to them,” she said.

Austin Lessin ’19, UCS parliamentarian, asked how the campaign affects current students. The Brown Annual Fund, which finances many of the University’s day-to-day operations, has the most direct impact, Paxson said in response.

The campaign includes a $400 million fundraising goal for the Annual Fund.

The University has raised $18 million of endowed funds for BrownConnect and these funds currently support students in their internship searches, Paxson said. The expansion of endowed chair positions also makes a noticeable difference in the quality of the faculty who are instructing students, she added.

UCS also voted unanimously to adopt a statement on the University’s upcoming

Diversity Action Plan, which The Herald published as an op-ed Thursday.

UCS President Sazzy Gourley ’16 noted the opportunity for UCS to give constructive feedback to the administration. “The plan is still in its development phase, so we still have time for suggestions and comments to be integrated into the actual plan,” he said.

The op-ed mentions the 2006 DAP in an attempt to highlight the fact that such a plan is already in existence, Gourley said. “A lot of the goals and objectives of that plan haven’t been accomplished because that plan was vague and didn’t have a lot of systems for accountability,” he said.

The new plan “needs to be specific in naming what improvements we’re pushing for and what the goals are going to look like” during implementation, he added.

The University of Mississippi removed the Mississippi state flag from campus grounds Monday following student and faculty protests against a symbol that features the Confederate flag, NPR reported.

The University of Mississippi is steeped in Confederate tradition, from the old mascot Colonel Rebel to the more common moniker “Ole Miss,” which comes from the title enslaved people gave to the wives of plantation owners, NPR reported. The school’s decision to remove the flag drew anger from some at the State House.

“I think college students react a lot emotionally,” said Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, regarding the Student Senate’s 33-15 vote to ask the administration to remove the flag last week.

The university’s initiative to “distance itself from Confederate iconography in general” was led by its College Democrat and NAACP chapters, said Buka Okoye, president of the school’s NAACP chapter, CNN reported.

Morris Stocks, interim chancellor of the University of Mississippi, spoke to “a deep love and respect” in his announcement speech, though he ultimately concluded that “the flag means that some members of the Ole Miss family are not welcomed or valued.”

Yik Yak said to promote hate speech A coalition of 72 advocacy groups wrote to the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Oct. 20 to demand action against Yik Yak — the 9th most popular social media app — for promulgating anonymous hate speech and racial and sexual intimidation on 1,600 college campuses, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported. The coalition of groups includes the Feminist Majority Foundation, the National Organization for Women, the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force.

Yik Yak is a free app that allows users to post statements anonymously and see posts of all other users within a 1.5-mile radius.

Users also have the ability to vote posts up or down in prominence.

The letter asks the Department of Education to ensure monitoring of Yik Yak and other online forums and to demand legal prosecution of those who post hate speech or death threats, which are not constitutionally protected forms of speech. The letter also alleges that many colleges have invoked “vague First Amendment concerns” to avoid their responsibility to curb harrassment on these online forums.

Leaders of the advocacy groups cite instances in which women felt threatened or bullied by other users on Yik Yak. “We were sexually harassed, called vulgar and offensive names. The most vitriolic of the posts threatened us with rape and murder,” Julia Michels, president of Feminists United at University of Mary Washington, told the Chronicle.

R.I. college graduates rack up debt Students at Rhode Island colleges and universities averaged the fourth-highest debt in the nation upon graduation at an average of $31,841, according to a study by the Institute of College Access and Success released Tuesday, Time reported.

Graduates from schools in Utah had the lowest average of $18,921, while the average for the class of 2014 nationwide rested at $28,950.

The statistics reveal a trend in which the highest debt can be found in the Northeast, while the lowest debt occurs in the West. New Mexico, Nevada, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Hawaii and Washington follow Utah to round out the 10 schools with the least debt top 10, while Delaware, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Maine, Connecticut, Iowa, Michigan, and Alabama make up the fifth of lowest fifth of states with the highest debt.

Most of the debt comes from federal loans, with 70 percent of students in the class of 2014 taking out these loans, Time reported.

The level of average debt has risen 56 percent in the last decade.

UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

COURTESY OF CAMP KESEM

Brown’s Camp Kesem chapter is working to raise $30,000 to launch a one-week overnight camp this summer that offers guilt-free fun and emotional support to children with parents affected by cancer. The Brown chapter, which was founded last spring, is one of 62 college chapters of Camp Kesem.

Camp Kesem chapter embarks on $30,000 fundraising effort for new camp Nonprofit camp for kids whose parents have cancer may be offered in R.I. this summer

By AILEEN SEO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The University chapter of Camp Kesem, a nonprofit organization that offers a week-long camp experience to children whose parents are battling cancer or have passed away from cancer, is currently raising money to launch its own summer camp in Rhode Island for children ages six to 16.

The chapter, founded last spring, announced last week that it hopes to raise $30,000 to cover the costs of the free overnight program.

The chapter is fundraising through an online platform called Classy. The

» ACADEMY, from page 8 research on HIV during the AIDS pandemic. Studying “heroic organizations — churches, doctors and activists,” their

$30,000 from the fundraiser will go toward the campsite, food, advertising and transportation, among other things.

The founders of the camp named the program Kesem, the Hebrew word for “magic,” to symbolize their efforts to bring magic into the lives of the children and families dealing with the impacts of cancer, according to the program’s website. Camp Kesem currently has 62 college chapters.

Catherine Gannage ’17 and Joyce Kim ’17 founded the Brown chapter during their sophomore years. The chapter has continued to grow since, with over 10 student coordinators and

20 general body members. The club is currently focused on recruiting camp counselors, who will work directly with campers and provide support and counseling during the week of camp, Gannage said.

The next information session for undergraduate students interested in becoming counselors is scheduled for Nov. 11, said Olabade Omole ’17, a chapter coordinator.

Gannage said she brought Camp Kesem to Brown because it played a significant part in her own life, helping her through difficulties that arose after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when Gannage was eight years old.

“I started going to Camp Kesem at Stanford when I was eight, and it changed my life in the best way

possible,” she said. Gannage recalled one particularly meaningful night at camp when all of the children were able to speak about their personal stories.

“Without it, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. It was a big part of my childhood, and I needed to bring that to as many kids as I could,” she said.

With sports, drama, crafts, swimming and relays, Camp Kesem offers a typical camp experience, but it also provides a support network for kids who feel alone in dealing with a parent’s cancer, Gannage said.

“It’s difficult for a lot of these kids,” Kim said. Though not an alum of Camp Kesem herself, Kim had a close friend whose uncle suffered from cancer and has seen firsthand the toll it can take on a young family member. “It’s not

super common at school to find someone whose parent has cancer, and they don’t have a support system beside from family.”

“Camp is a great opportunity to forget about it and be around kids who understand what they are going through. It reminds them that it’s okay to laugh and be happy even though this is happening,” she added.

In addition to raising money for the camp, chapter coordinators are reaching out to local schools and communities about Camp Kesem.

“My co-coordinator spoke with people in the school like social workers to start targeting support groups and schools,” Omole said. “We are mainly targeting kids in Rhode Island.”

The chapter hopes to launch its first camp session in August 2016.

work met at the intersection of patient care quality and political leverage of the then-taboo topic, Morone said.

“The election of individuals to the National Academy of Medicine begins

with a confidential nomination by two NAM members” wrote Jennifer Walsh, senior media officer of the Academy, in an email to The Herald. “At least one quarter of the membership shall be

selected from fields outside the health professions that interface with health and medicine, demonstrating continued involvement and breadth to the Academy’s mission.”

Both researchers were officially announced as members during the NAM annual meeting in October and are expected to be active and valued participants in the organization, Walsh wrote.

TODAY

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

menu

h a l lo w e e n h ac k

SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Pizzas: Na’cho Pizza, Spicy 5 Cheese and Garlic, BBQ Bam Bam JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Made-to-Order Quesadillas

Halloween Boo Bowl: Rice, Pork, Collard Greens, Pumpkin Sauce

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Hot Corned Beef on Rye Bread, Falafel, Vegetarian Reuben Sandwich, Rice Krispie Treats

Pork Chop Suey, Roast Beef Au Jus, Spinach Strudal, Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Beef Stew, Vegetable Stuffed Red Peppers, Baking Power Biscuits, Rice Krispie Treats

Tequila Lime Chicken, Cheese Souffle, Curried Shrimp Stirfry, Banana Cake

sudoku

ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD

Students learned how to use JavaScript at Hack@Brown’s third workshop of the year Oct. 28. Participants were asked to create a Halloween-themed webpage.

comics A Horse of Any Other Name | Zach Silberberg ’17

crossword

calendar TODAY

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Ethical Inquiry Lunch: Harmful Speech 1:00 P.M. Salomon Center 003

Buff Presents: Scream 9:00 P.M. Smith-Buonanno 106

Thursday Night Interfaith Supper 5:30 P.M. 58 Keene St.

Greek Dancing Class 7:00 P.M. Graduate Center Lounge, 95 Thayer St.

TOMORROW Give Blood on 10/30: It’s Not Scary!

11:00 A.M. Nelson Fitness Center

LGTBQ Center Open Haunted Open House 4:00 P.M. Campus Center 321

Shabbat Services and Dinner 6:15 P.M. RISD-Brown Hillel

Wind Symphony Concert 8:00 P.M. Salomon Center 101

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

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CORRECTION An article in Wednesday’s Herald (“BUCC supports Indigenous People’s Day, Hilton workers,” Oct. 28) misstated Phoebe Young’s class year. She is in the class of 2017, not the class of 2018. The Herald regrets the error.

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COMMENTARY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Regarding the upcoming Diversity Action Plan THE UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL OF STUDENTS This statement comes as a culmination of multiple focus groups and meetings with various students, groups, administrators and Corporation members about the Diversity Action Plan. A single op-ed does not do justice to the needs of underrepresented groups on campus. In consultation with other students and groups, UCS compiled a list of action items related to the Diversity Action Plan that can be found on the UCS website. We appreciate any comments or feedback.

In 2006, the administration released a Diversity Action Plan for the University with the goal of making Brown “a national leader in fully integrating diversity into the core operations of an institution.” Nine years later, it would be difficult to argue that the University has achieved this goal. Without proper benchmarks and concrete mechanisms for accountability, this plan was not sustained over time. As the senior administration prepares to release a new DAP, the Undergraduate Council of Students hopes that it will be more comprehensive and specific than the previous one. Thus, we believe it is necessary to put forth our minimal expectations for what must be included.

One reason for Brown’s lack of success over the past decade has been its inability — or unwillingness — to thoughtfully define the “diversity” it seeks. The last plan sought to encom-

pass “diversity in the broadest sense to include race, color, religion, age, national and ethnic origin, disability, status as a veteran, language, socioeconomic background, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political ideology and theoretical approach, to name a few.” Unfortunately, this broad interpretation dilutes the entire purpose of having such a plan.

Specificity and clarity are needed for the administration and academic departments to develop proper strategies and benchmarks for recruitment and support over the next 10 years.

component of a successful plan, but it should not be an excuse for vagueness.

The 2006 plan aimed to have diversity “improve significantly” and “better reflect the diversity of the nation.” These imprecise goals did not establish clear measures for the University to assess its progress over subsequent years. The plan also failed to establish mechanisms to hold the various units and departments on campus accountable for failing to meet its goals. Many of the initiatives with specific details were not carried out or well publicized, or they are no longer in effect.

diversity of faculty hires made in the 2014-15 academic year in conjunction with the DAP, rather than waiting until a year following the plan’s release.

Increased transparency about Brown’s current climate is needed for our community to be more fully aware of the need for immediate improvements, especially in departments that are the least representative. As departments develop their individual action plans, it is critical that student voices be prioritized, especially those of students of color.

Embedded in the plan is a call to

Knowledge of how the new DAP will be enacted cannot be limited to senior administrators. Rather, if Brown is to move forward together, as the new $3 billion comprehensive campaign suggests, we must all be part of its implementation.

The University is focused on doubling underrepresented minorities in the faculty by 2025. This intention should be directly stated in the new plan’s definition. Even the category of underrepresented minority does not sufficiently address the need to disaggregate data regarding minority faculty within racial categories to account for ethnic and educational backgrounds.

Naivete can no longer excuse publishing a DAP without specifying the “diversity” it is supposed to address.

As with the operational plan, the administration has publicized that the new DAP will be a “living document” so that it can be adjusted and changed over time. This flexibility is a crucial

The new plan needs to be more precise by including specific measures with incremental benchmarks to hold the University accountable for the plan’s implementation. Such structure could provide a framework for the entire Brown community to understand and engage with how we plan to fight institutional racism and create a more inclusive campus. Knowledge of how this plan will be enacted cannot be limited to senior administrators. Rather, if Brown is to move forward together, as the new $3 billion comprehensive campaign suggests, we must all be part of its creation and implementation.

As an initial effort, we encourage the University to release data on the

create a “culturally competent and inclusive campus.” To achieve this aim, the plan must go beyond acknowledging the need for faculty training on race, gender identity and other LGBTQIA+ issues and propose strategies and time frames for implementing such programs. It must also describe how the Diverse Perspectives in Liberal Learning course designation will be given more weight in order to generate a more culturally competent curriculum across departments, including those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Furthermore, the Brown Center for Students of Color, the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center and the LGBTQ Center are instru-

mental in offering support for marginalized communities on campus and for building programs for our entire community. The DAP should name which specific efforts will be advocated on behalf of these centers in both the immediate and long-term future.

Presently, it seems as though the University and other constituents define “plans” on different terms. It is essential that the DAP be more than an adaptable framework. It must provide a clear and comprehensive structure with accountability measures that will guide the University’s efforts to build and support diversity. This is not a criticism of the Office of Institutional Diversity.

Rather, it speaks to the need for a more collaborative development of the DAP so that the burden of its planning does not fall on a single woman of color within Brown’s senior administration.

The DAP must be fully integrated into the operational plan, which guides all aspects of the University’s development over the next decade, so that none of the objectives within the operational plan escape the mission of the DAP. As we reflect on the University’s progress after the 2006 DAP, exactly two years following the Ray Kelly protest, we must show — as a collective community — that we are capable of producing a plan that names progressive goals alongside a comprehensive framework to show how those ideas will translate into action.

The Undergraduate Council of Students can be reached at ucs@brown.edu.

Ray Kelly and the imagined community of Brown JENNY LI

op-ed contributor

Earlier this month, as I read through articles in The Herald debating the free exchange of ideas, I was struck by how little the conversation has progressed since the events of Oct. 29, 2013, when former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly’s scheduled lecture was canceled due to student protests in the auditorium, sparking months of campus debate. It seems to me that discussions concerning the free exchange of ideas inevitably reach a point where folks are either staunchly defending it as a right or arguing that certain types of speech can be considered harmful. These conversations leave me empty.

We cannot talk about free exchange of ideas without talking about the content. For me, this discussion raises critical questions about knowledge. Yes, we should have a free exchange of ideas, but we also need to discuss where we go with it.

We must think of the free exchange of ideas as a means to an end. Do we want free exchange of ideas for the sake of pursuing knowledge? I would argue that ends in egocentric delusion and empty rhetoric.

Alternatively, do we want free exchange of ideas to pursue knowledge for the sake of progressing humanity? That vision is beautiful, but it requires a commitment to honest discussion that acknowledges lived experiences as archives of knowledge. If you are defending the free exchange of ideas while rejecting the lived experiences of marginalized students, then you are removing yourself from a critical conversation about humanity and absolving yourself of responsibility to this community.

To that end, the free exchange of ideas cannot exist independent of humanistic values. In practice, it requires recognition of our duties to one another as human beings. It is in articulating those duties, owning the impact of our words and actions and voicing our collective experiences for change that we may move forward in this conversation that is currently sidetracked by a focus on individual rights. We need to talk about the imagined community of Brown.

The Committee on the Events of Oct. 29 reports, which are currently collecting dust and have not been addressed directly with an action plan, are missing one crucial detail. Two years ago, I was cashiering in the Blue Room when I received an email from President Christina Paxson

and terrifying — beautiful because the students’ emotional testimonies were cathartic, terrifying because it held so much raw potential for change.

Folks even proposed forming a student union as an alternative to the Undergraduate Council of Students. The next two nights, the unofficial “Brown Student Union” continued to gather, but it quickly devolved as student activists were stretched thin preparing for the vigil and protest.

The “safe space” was eventually co-opted by white students who claimed they felt oppressed by accusations of white privilege, while students of color walked out the door feeling their humanity was once again dismissed.

Those nights in the Underground ultimately led to nothing, but I let it go because I felt that

To that end, the free exchange of ideas cannot exist independent of humanistic values. We need to talk about the imagined community of Brown.

P’19 announcing the decision to not divest the University’s endowment from top U.S. coal companies. During that shift, I drafted a Facebook status calling on students to gather that night in the Underground if they were disappointed with the University’s decisions on coal divestment and Ray Kelly.

In the middle of organizing to protest the Ray Kelly lecture, over 100 students packed the Underground for hours, sharing their experiences with organizing at Brown and being promised avenues for change but given nothing in return but committees and empty rhetoric of engaged scholarship. There were stories of sexual assault not being addressed, issues with representation of faculty of color, questions of engaging with Providence and much more. That night was beautiful

internal healing within the student body needed to happen before large-scale student organizing could really take hold. In a journal entry from that week, I wrote: “They say to us students that we are incapable of thinking of a long-term vision for this institution. We need a VISION.” The administration’s moves that week sent a message, intentional or not, that student voices mattered very little in shaping the University. Students needed a unified vision, but we could not get past conversations about privilege and oppression among students. We could not engage with solidarity in a meaningful way.

To be subversive can be a difficult, emotionally draining and seemingly hopeless task to take on, but when I feel at a loss, I’m reminded of Rodolfo Acuña’s words: “It is difficult to introduce

new knowledge when everything is deduced from accepted knowledge. It is in these instances where other knowledge must be induced through disruption.”

Brown and specifically the Department of Africana Studies forced me to engage with the question, “What does it mean to be human?” It has changed the way I understand knowledge and how I interact with the world. I was also lucky to know brave faculty members who stood alongside their students. I ask that faculty members continue to be brave and, if they cannot do so publicly, find ways to help, because students cannot stand alone. Students, there are faculty members who are on your side and who have the institutional memory that can help you untangle this power structure.

As I read the statements of solidarity written by students of color as well as white student allies, I am hopeful again, and I would argue that there is still room for this imagined community of student activists, organizing across identity lines and unifying to make larger structural changes.

The lesson from the Underground meetings is that students must seek to understand one another and find that unified voice, even if it is painful and even if the imagined community is built with sacrifice. What is at stake here is student agency in determining the next 250 years.

The only people who checked in on Jenny Li ’14 that day two years ago when she worked in tears at the Blue Room were four undergraduate women of color.

All gave her a hug over the counter and asked if she needed anything. No other customers bothered to ask what was going on. Li can be reached at jenny_li@brown.edu.

SCIENCE & RESEARCH THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015

University professors elected to National Academy of Medicine Vincent Mor, James Monroe honored for contributions to healthcare, public policy

By MARK LIANG STAFF WRITER

Two University researchers were recently elected into the National Academy of Medicine for their work in public health and policy, earning a distinction annually conferred to fewer than 70 individuals.

Vincent Mor, professor of health services, policy and practice, and James Morone, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and professor of public policy, political science and urban studies, joined the roughly 2,000 members of the organization this month. Previously known as the Institute of Medicine, the Academy appoints membership among leading researchers in the field of medical inquiry. Its identical partners — the Academies of Science, Engineering, and Research — also make appointments in their fields.

Both professors are not physicians — they were instead elected on the merit of their research in the public health fields.

Mor specializes in studies regarding longterm care of the elderly and the chronically ill, while Morone works in healthcare

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

James Morone, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and professor of public policy, political science and urban studies, and Vincent Mor, professor of health services, policy and practice were two of seventy individuals elected to the National Academy of Medicine this year. policy. Both are experienced communicators, with hundreds of publications and multiple books between them.

For Mor, who has been a University faculty member for over 30 years, the recognition was unexpected. While the Academy had considered him at least once before, he was unaware of the announcement of his election until a few weeks ago, he said. The award helps his career come full circle, as an early mentor — the late Medical Dean David Greer — was also a NAM member.

Mor’s current work focuses on analyzing policy in healthcare, as well as conducting large randomized trial projects to improve care.

By working with hundreds of nursing homes across the country,“we hope to see how care is delivered, the kinds of care and the patient outcomes,” Mor said.

Mor said he is also proud of his work in evaluating hospice care, with papers published over a timeline spanning the 1980s to the present. Such work has helped affect public policy by providing

more long-term aid to the elderly and infirm, he said.

Morone’s work takes a similar path: He studies healthcare politics within the United States. “I was hooked (on the topic) because it engaged such a fundamental question: Every other wealthy nation insures all its people, they see healthcare as a basic human right,” Morone wrote in an email to The Herald. But in the United States, efforts to extend healthcare to the entire population have “created a huge outcry” going as far back as 1915,

he added.

In both articles and books, Morone has written on topics including the Puritan tradition in American political history and the way each U.S. president has dealt with healthcare issues. He stressed the need to act fast in the political realm to create real change, adding that he is “thrilled and humbled” to be a part of the Academy.

Mor and Morone have collaborated with each other before, conducting » See ACADEMY, page 4

Researchers explore protein with potential link to cancer By better understanding protein’s role, researchers hope to develop therapies for degenerative diseases

By RILEY DAVIS STAFF WRITER

Got something to say? Leave a comment online!

Visit www.browndailyherald.com to comment on opinion and editorial content.

Researchers in the Department of Molecular Biology are investigating a protein thought to be associated with degenerative diseases like cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The protein, named “fused in sarcoma,” is unique and noteworthy because during certain processes it loses its specific structure or shape and separates into liquid droplets, or granules, which then aggregate together. The research team’s most recent findings on this protein were published Oct. 15 in the journal Molecular Cell.

These aggregations, called inclusions, are significant because they are thought to disrupt RNA transcription — a process involved in the building of proteins — in certain cells, said Nicolas Fawzi, assistant professor of molecular pharmacology, physiology and biotechnology and one of the authors of the study. The researchers hypothesize that the disruption of RNA transcription in cells like neurons contributes to the onset of diseases like ALS and certain kinds of cancer such as leukemia.

Fawzi joined the University faculty in January 2013, at which point he also began studying the FUS protein. He said he became interested in the protein because of how little was known about its function and role in degenerative diseases.

“I think of it as kind of the opposite of HIV or cancer, where we know what

the problem is and we just can’t fix it,” Fawzi said. “Here we don’t even know what the problem looks like.”

Advances in knowledge about the protein could one day contribute to new therapies for treating diseases like ALS, Fawzi said. Because the FUS protein serves other functions in the body, such as the regulation of RNA splicing, entirely shutting it off is not an option, Fawzi said. Researchers must instead find a way to deactivate aggregations while still allowing the protein to regulate other cellular functions.

The researchers were not expecting FUS to have the “liquid” structure they discovered either, Fawzi said. “We didn’t expect to find that it had formed these granules — that was surprising.”

Because the protein is still not well understood, alternate hypotheses exist about its nature and function, Fawzi said, adding, “It’s still controversial.”

For example, some hypothesize that the granules formed by the protein aggregates form as a solid, while Fawzi’s lab views it as a liquid structure.

Several outside sources declined to comment on the specifics of the study.

One aspect that made this study notable was the high amount of graduate and undergraduate student research that went into the paper, Fawzi said. “That’s one advantage of Brown for me and why I came here — its really great students, especially undergraduate students,” he said. “They had a big impact on the success of the project.”

Abigail Janke ’16, a co-author of the study, has worked in the Fawzi lab since January and said her experience has been very positive.

“It’s an amazing lab for undergrads,” Janke said. “We all talk about how encouraging it is.”