Friday, November 13, 2015

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

VOLUME CL, ISSUE 106

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‘Blackout’ marks solidarity with Mizzou students of color Expressing frustration, students of color demand action on institutional racism at Brown

By ELANA JAFFE STAFF WRITER

Several hundred students, faculty members and administrators dressed in black gathered on the Quiet Green between University Hall and the Van Wickle Gates Thursday afternoon to show solidarity with the black victims of hate speech and threats of racialized violence at the University of Missouri.

Following a group photograph of the “Blackout,” students of color spoke to the surrounding crowd, amplified by a megaphone. Though the event was organized in support of students at Mizzou, grievances about Brown’s campus climate and administration comprised the majority of the remarks.

“We are here because of systemic and insidious problems of structural and institutional racism that prevail at Brown University, at Yale University, at Mizzou and at countless other institutions across the nation” said Candice Ellis ’16, addressing the crowd.

DANIELLE PERELMAN / HERALD

In solidarity with black students at the University of Missouri, hundreds of community members gathered for a “Blackout” on the Quiet Green. In the past few days, black students at Mizzou have been threatened with violence after student protests criticized the university’s racist structures.

“You think Brown’s been doing a good job? Because something that happened at Mizzou or at Yale or at many of the other institutions across the nation might

happen here,” said Justice Gaines ’16.

Students of color shared stories of personal experiences with racism in dorms, classrooms and other spaces on

and off campus.

Many speakers expressed being tired of institutional racism, not having their voices heard and the lack of action from

the administration to adequately address hurtful actions continuously borne by communities of color on campus. » See BLACKOUT, page 2

With time to adjust, student groups navigate Class F policies Following prohibition of Class Fs from residential areas, many perceive positive cultural shifts

By SHIRA BUCHSBAUM STAFF WRITER

ELI WHITE / HERALD

Two Van Gogh-inspired paintings by Wendy Edwards, professor of visual art and chair of the department, grace the lobby of the List Art Center as part of the 2015 Faculty Exhibition.

Faculty showcase art without boundaries Combining visual art, music and digital media, exhibit highlights interdisciplinary art

By GABRIELLA REYES STAFF WRITER

Interactive projections, movable paintings and a musical statue, alongside more traditional paintings and sculptures, have transformed the David Winton Bell Gallery

ARTS & CULTURE

INSIDE

for the 2015 Faculty Exhibition. The display, which features artists across various disciplines and highlights interaction among different forms of media, opened Nov. 7.

“The exhibition really is a reflection of the interdisciplinary spirit that integrates the arts across the University,” wrote Ian Russell, one of the exhibition’s curators, in an email to The Herald. He noted that many of the works “connect around an interest in participation and interactivity that is uniquely shared amongst a number of faculty members at Brown.”

Not all of the faculty members

featured in the exhibition are from the Department of Visual Arts. Todd Winkler, professor of music, created an interactive projection of the Providence sunset called “1,000 Sunsets.”

After moving to an apartment surrounded by windows a couple of years ago, Winkler said he became “obsessed with the sky over Providence, especially before and after sunset.”

“It’s so beautiful,” he said.

In the past, Winkler has combined video and theater pieces that incorporate multiple artists in an interactive way. This time, he said he wanted » See FACULTY ART, page 5

A combination of tighter enforcement, social suspensions and changing priorities has led to a shift in Brown’s social scene.

Many of these changes have come as a result of the interim alcohol policy regulations implemented last January in response to concerns about sexual assault and alcohol abuse. The regulations are due for review at the end of this semester.

One aspect of the interim alcohol policy prohibits student organizations from hosting Class Fs — registered parties where alcohol is sold — in residence halls. The policy also stipulates that Class Fs use bartenders certified through the Brown Student Agency’s bartender programs, that drinks be mixed in front of the person being served and that no punchbowls be used.

The changes to Class Fs are aimed at making parties safer and fun for all, said Senior Associate Dean of

Residential Life and Dining Services Richard Bova. “We’re not trying to take everything away. We’re trying to reorient it in a way that makes sense,” he said.

Initial frustration and confusion with policy changes have diminished as students have found ways to work within — and around — the interim policy. Now, almost a year into the changes, students and administrators alike are evaluating the effects of the regulations, finding mixed student reviews regarding Brown’s social scene and alcohol safety.

Playing by the rules Before the interim policy took effect, Wriston Quadrangle was abuzz most weekends with themed Class F parties thrown by Greek organizations as well as other large parties — registered or not — with alcohol.

For many upperclassmen in Greek life who entered a relatively unregulated social scene at Brown as firstyears, the changes came as a shock, said Meredith Heckman ’16 and Aaron Rosenthal ’16, co-chairs of Greek Council, which includes an elected executive board and the presidents of the Greek houses. These students had a largely negative response and » See CLASS F, page 3

WEATHER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

ARTS & CULTURE Faculty members explored the intersection of different media forms with music

SPORTS After year at FAU, Justin Massey ’18 reunites with twin brother Jason Massey ’18 at Brown

COMMENTARY Montoya ’16: Sharing a link or graphic image is not equivalent to taking substantive action

COMMENTARY Malik ’18: As darkness creeps earlier into the day, late afternoons become a good time to read

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TOMORROW

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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

» BLACKOUT, from page 1 While recognizing the faculty members and administrators in attendance, Jummy Akinsulire ’16, president of the Black Student Union, questioned the absence of others. “President Paxson, are you here? Provost Locke, are you here?

These are the people who continually ask for black leaders and minority leaders to talk about institutional racism and to talk about how we can change these things on our campus.”

Locke, who was in attendance, tried to alert the crowd of his presence by responding, “I am here.”

Asking the crowd to note those looking down at the protest from the windows of University Hall, Akinsulire said, “Looking over us is also white supremacy.

Why aren’t you down here with us? That’s another symbolism,” adding that she did not want to serve merely as “the person who just helps the school be diverse.”

Administrators “say they listen, they say they hear us, they do nothing,” Ellis said, adding in a follow-up message to The Herald that “they refuse to adequately acknowledge students of color.”

“Instead of saying structural racism, they say structural issues. They refuse to name us. This is a problem,” she said, urging students of color “to step forward and be heard.”

Langston Glaude ’18 said, “Pay attention, start listening. That’s what we’re trying to say.”

President Christina Paxson P’19 sent a campus-wide email Tuesday about the University’s efforts to promote a diverse and inclusive community. “We acknowledge the deeply troubling fact that racism, sexism and a less-than-fully welcoming climate exist on our campus,” she wrote, promising to better support students, foster discussion on diversity and inclusion, evaluate the campus climate and provide more professional development for faculty members on “pedagogical approaches that will help us reach and become more accessible” to Brown’s student body, the demographics of which have shifted significantly in the last decade.

She added that the University would provide more detail on these actions in

its Diversity Action Plan, which will be released later this month.

But students at the Blackout expressed frustration with the email, saying it was prompted by fear caused by the national situation and that it fell short of what was needed.

Hannah Anokye ’16 told The Herald the administration should “stop hiding behind buzzwords like ‘diversity’ and ‘data driven.’” She added that it should utilize resources such as graduate students and trained Minority Peer Counselors.

“Stop reverting to having white people explain these issues because they’re not going through these issues.”

“I charge this university and many others for being perpetrators of structural and ideological racism, sexism and other systems of oppression,” Khalif Andre ’19 wrote in an email to The Herald, clarifying a sentiment he expressed in his speech earlier in the day.

“Our humanity is not up for discussion,” he said. “If you do not take a stance for our humanity, you’re taking a stance against it. … Either you’re with us, or you’re against us.”

Godwin Tsado ’16, an organizer of the event, said he “envisioned something extremely organic, (where) people said whatever was on their mind, and that happened.” He added, “It’s obvious that people in power in the University know this is going on,” with students calling for action for years. “Why don’t they address it head on?”

After the speeches on the Quiet Green, the group marched through the drizzle to the Main Green, where graduate students, primarily in the Department of Africana Studies, held a teach-in on the steps of Faunce House. The teachin — organized by Bedour Alagraa GS and Shamara Alhassan GS — was one of many such events happening on campuses across the nation.

The grad students read a list of demands for the administration, including that the University hire more faculty members of color, create mandatory training on critical race theory for all faculty members and adopt an intersectional framework for Title IX training. The Graduate Students of Color

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KEIICHIRO KENOSHITA / HERALD

RISD sophomore Rebecca Cumberbatch speaks to students gathered on the Quiet Green. Students then marched to the Main Green for a teach-in organized by graduate students in the Department of Africana Studies.

Collective, the Nabrit Black Graduate Student Association and Africana Studies grad students encourage members of the community to read their official statement, which includes their full list of demands.

“Practicing anti-racism should be everyone’s job, not just students of color,” Lily Mengesha GS, a speaker at the teachin and a fourth-year graduate student in theatre arts and performance studies, told The Herald. Arguments for neutrality do not result in productive or constructive dialogue, she said, adding, “I’ve gotten used to feeling silenced by the institution.”

“I really appreciated that (organizers) allowed trans black students to speak at this event because there are so few of us on campus,” said Jackie Rice ’16, a former MPC and former head chair of the Queer Alliance. “People listened and affirmed and made a commitment to make changes on campus for people like me.”

Rice said that seeing “administrators of color and professors who have proven their support” at the Blackout “mattered a lot.”

“Saying black lives matter is saying finally all lives matter,” Stefano Bloch,

postdoctoral fellow in urban studies, told The Herald. “That’s an affirmative statement that has been systematically oppressed in the history of this country.”

Bloch said he was there both as a community member committed to learning and listening and as a faculty member.

“I was surprised that not every single person affiliated with Brown — staff, student, and faculty — were there,” he said.“When members of one community have something specific to say from such a heartfelt space, it always surprises me that not everybody is there to listen to, if not support them.” Those who did show up were a “powerful representation of many of the groups from Brown,” he added.

“We all came together and mobilized, we begged this university to hold (The Herald) accountable, we begged this university to hear our stories about how racism, sexism and a whole host of other problems prevail at this university and prevent us from being safe, from being at peace, from being whole and from being well,” Ellis said in her speech.

“More than just acting in times when we have rallies and protests, my hope is that we validate each other as humans,” Anokye said. “Validating people as humans and as fellow students are the little things that you can do,” along with “talking about it with your other friends who may not understand or realize that this is a problem that affects everyone.”

“This is not a thing, when we talk about race, of pointing a finger,” Noelle Austin ’18 said to the crowd. “It’s wanting people to know that there are problems, and the problems are important to us, and they’re real to us. I ask that next time someone feels uncomfortable talking about racism, please realize we feel uncomfortable too … but we don’t get a chance to take a day off.”

DANIELLE PERELMAN / HERALD

To view video coverage of this event, visit our website at www.browndailyherald.com.

Students of color gathered in front of the Van Wickle Gates holding signs reading, “We Stand With Mizzou.” The Main and Quiet Greens were filled with students expressing solidarity with the #ConcernedStudent1950 movement fighting racism at the University of Missouri.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» CLASS F, from page 1 viewed the interim alcohol policy as an unwelcome infringement on Wriston’s social scene, they said.

Heckman and Rosenthal agreed that misinformation was the primary issue underlying students’ concerns.

“A lot of people have been used to large social events happening in their lounges and didn’t realize they were breaking the rules,” Heckman said.

Once the University began enforcing the policy changes, “Greek Council became a space that really tried to spread awareness and inform leaders that this wasn’t a rule change,” she said.

Whereas last semester’s Greek house leaders were largely frustrated with the policy changes, the current Greek Council has been willing to adapt in order to maintain its place in the social scene, Heckman and Rosenthal said.

Regardless of the policy changes, Greek organizations “were starting to move away from Class Fs because they were frustrated with” University requirements, Rosenthal said. He added that meeting the requirements to host a Class F was a hassle and house leaders would “rather run the risk of having an unregistered party.”

In Fall 2014, three fraternities and co-ed houses hosted four registered residential parties with alcohol, wrote Tim Shiner, director of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center and student activities, in an email to The Herald. This semester, Alpha Epsilon Pi hosted a Class F and Alpha Delta Phi hosted a cocktail event — a guest list-only event with alcohol — in University spaces, he wrote.

Several organizations are currently prohibited from hosting registered parties — four of Brown’s five all-male fraternities are on social suspension.

As part of the policy change, ResLife and the Student Activities Office pay for the bulk of Class F costs.

For AEPi’s annual BodyChem event — hosted this year in Alumnae Hall — the University covered the costs of security staff, an evening event manager, event service staff, custodial cleaning, pizza and on-sight Emergency Medical Technicians, Shiner said. The fraternity covered the DJ, sound system, table delivery and alcohol, he added.

Despite the bulk of the cost resting on the University, AEPi still lost money due to low attendance compared to previous years.

Rosenthal, a member of AEPi, cited errors on both sides: Not hosting the event in the fraternity’s house was “detrimental” because AEPi lost name recognition, and having a large group of security guards outside the event deterred potential attendees.

But additionally, “AEPi did not do a phenomenal job of advertising the event,” Rosenthal added. “There was a drastic change from what the party usually accomplishes.”

Off campus or out of sight While some houses are working within the policies, the president of another program house, who asked to remain anonymous due to concerns about University backlash against her house, said the policy has caused program houses to be more discreet in holding unregistered parties.

“The number of parties we host in the house has stayed the same,” she

said. “But we try to be more careful because the consequences are more serious.”

The house tries to maintain a lower profile, and some individuals have been more reluctant to throw and attend parties in the house, the president said. Her house is also hesitant to register parties because — though doing so is supposed to make the events safer — the presence of Department of Public Safety officers makes the environment seem “more hostile,” she said.

This behavior shift has resulted in “a huge influx in the number of off-campus parties and parties downtown, which means a huge number of underage students leaving campus,” she said. Whereas parties used to spill onto Wriston Quad every weekend night, the place is now a “ghost town,” she added.

Heckman and Rosenthal also said they think many upperclassmen now prefer to attend house parties off campus, leaving on-campus parties for underclassmen. In addition, “students have been going downtown to clubs more frequently,” Heckman said.

But strictly in terms of numbers, there has not been a major decline in parties. Last fall, there were 19 events registered with the University, including events with and without alcohol, Shiner wrote in an email to The Herald. So far this semester, there have been 15. The parties have been hosted not only by Greek houses, but also by program houses and other student groups.

“There’s some research that shows this trend to lower rates of high-risk behavior with minimal displacement,” Shiner said, adding that noise complaints about off-campus parties have also not increased.

Shifting the social scene With greater University enforcement over unregistered parties, some Greek houses are moving away from hosting parties with alcohol altogether.

The co-ed fraternities ADPhi and Zeta Delta Xi both decided to host their traditional house parties without alcohol, and the events proved to be major successes, Heckman said. Since both parties were registered with the University, ResLife and SAO picked up many of the costs, providing music, event staff and pizza.

One major misconception of the restrictive policies is that no events are allowed in residential areas at all, Shiner said.

In addition to ADPhi and Zete, three student groups have also hosted residential parties without alcohol this semester, Shiner wrote. Last fall, only two groups hosted registered residential parties without alcohol.

Lance Gloss ’18, president of the Environmental House, emphasized the importance of finding social outlets outside of heavy partying.

The Environmental House “tries to enact community in other ways” including by hosting weekly communal meals, Gloss said. Members of every house can achieve a social presence unrelated to partying by “reconsidering the environment (they) want to socialize in,” he added.

Gloss pointed to the underlying theme of the policy, which is creating safer environments in which people can socialize and drink.

“The fact the University feels the

CHRISTINA KIM / HERALD

“The fact the University feels the need to regulate the way we interact through alcohol policy is indicative of a genuine problem with the way we’ve been socialized,” said Lance Gloss ’18. need to regulate the way we interact through alcohol policy is indicative of a genuine problem with the way we’ve been socialized,” Gloss said.

The Class F policies have also helped turn Greek life away from a “socially oriented” mindset involving parties and alcohol, Heckman and Rosenthal said, citing this as contributing to a positive change in the Greek system.

“We’re trying to implement system-wide change,” Rosenthal said.

“We’re trying to reinvent how the Greek system is perceived and how we function as a collective on campus.”

These changes entail empowering houses to exceed the standards set by the council, Heckman said.

Greek Council is now focusing on cementing philanthropic work as a cornerstone of Greek life on campus, reworking constitutions, creating a mission statement and focusing on creating safe spaces within and for the Brown community.

Kate Tompkins, associate director for off-campus living and programs for ResLife, noted that this shift in focus has been developing for several years.

“The Greek houses realized that as the culture shifts, they need to shift with it,” she said.

Working to integrate the policies into the Greek system has allowed the houses to “come together as a whole,” Rosenthal said, adding that “there’s a new level of respect for each other that wasn’t there previously.”

Alex Palabrica ’17, president of Delta Tau and philanthropy chair for Greek Council, said the fraternity has tried its best to “take advantage of the rules” to implement positive restructuring.

“Not only does it create safer environments, it’s allowed us to reorganize and place an emphasis on building community,” Palabrica said.

“The enforcement coming down from the University has led the houses to realize that if they’re not actively creating a safe space then they are complicit in creating opportunities for bad things to happen,” Heckman said. “That’s a really positive change.”

Moving forward Though misinformation caused initial backlash, frustration has cooled as students have come to understand the policy changes, Shiner said. Based on his interactions with students, Shiner characterized the response to the policies as “fairly divided.”

Shiner said while some students have voiced continuing dissatisfaction, he has “heard from at least an equal number of students that they really prefer it ­— that it’s made their living area more pleasant.” The policy’s supporters include students who were initially concerned about the change, Shiner added.

Feedback from Greek and program houses has also been mixed, Tompkins said.

Shiner said some students told him they are grateful for the change because they previously felt uncomfortable approaching their peers to address partying in the dorms.

Sazzy Gourley ’16, president of the Undergraduate Council of Students, noted Wriston’s unique residential setup as a primary contributor to that discomfort.

“Our residential spaces house potentially two different fraternities, then in the middle, house independent living spaces, creating a very different residential dynamic than we see at other universities,” Gourley said. “When there are social events thrown in those spaces, there’s more

potential for tensions to develop when things are not communicated fully.”

Both Gourley and Shiner recognized the range of concerns students have with the policy changes and emphasized the intensive reviews SAO, ResLife and the Alcohol and Social Event Review Committee are conducting to address these concerns and collect feedback.

For current underclassmen, Class Fs are now almost pointless to attend, Palabrica said. The events provide alcohol, but only for legal drinkers, and first-years “don’t want the cool party they’re attending to be in Kasper Multipurpose Room,” he said. “There is a social stigma.”

Gourley noted that there are fewer large parties in general and that many students party in off-campus houses.

Even with this shift, the downturn in partying was not as “drastic” as students expected, he said.

Regardless of the hesitancy to attend Class Fs in University spaces, “it’s a necessary part of changing the culture,” Palabrica said. “There was so much anarchy in how parties were run. This is a good step.”

UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Fourth TRI-Lab sets sights on improving prisoner health Thirty-seven undergraduates submitted applications to engage with variety of issues affecting prisoner health

By RACHEL GOLD STAFF WRITER

The next iteration of the TRI-Lab, titled “Designing Education for Better Prisoner and Community Health,” will explore health issues affecting incarcerated individuals and seek to develop concrete interventions to address these issues, said Bradley Brockmann, executive director of the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights at Miriam Hospital and the lead facilitator of the TRI-Lab. This marks the fourth iteration of the TRI-Lab, an initiative run by the Swearer Center for Public Service that brings together students, faculty members and community partners to examine and develop solutions to social issues. This TRI-Lab, whose title stems from the initiative’s three-pronged mission — teaching, research and innovation — will require participants to enroll in a course in spring 2016, Brockmann said.

Participants will aim to develop prototypes over the summer and introduce final products in the fall, said Brockmann, who is a civil rights attorney and has taught courses at Brown on prisoner health care and rights.

Brockmann will lead the course in conjunction with Jennifer Clarke, staff physician at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections and an associate professor of medicine, obstetrics and gynecology at the Alpert Medical School, and Ian Gonsher, lecturer of engineering.

Applications for the TRI-Lab were due Nov. 2. The Swearer Center received 37 applications for 20 undergraduate positions in the program, with the applicants spanning all four years and a spectrum of concentrations, Brockmann said. Four first-years, 11 sophomores, 13 juniors and nine seniors applied, he wrote in a follow-up email to The Herald.

“We are looking for a broad cohort with different life experiences and different academic backgrounds,” said Allen Hance, director of engaged scholarship at the Swearer Center. “We have found that the best labs are ones in which you have a variety of disciplinary perspectives coming to bear on a particular challenge.”

This group of students will engage with the variety of issues affecting prisoner health, including race, poverty,

drug dependence, mental illness and systemic barriers to societal reentry, Brockmann said. “When (prisoners) are released, health care needs are part of a broad spectrum of competing reentry and survival needs that often relegate health to the backburner,” he said.

The undergraduate TRI-Lab participants will work alongside medical students, community stakeholders and incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals. Teams of students will design projects and present them to juries of community members for feedback, Brockmann said, adding that he hopes one of the teams conceives of a project that deals with nutrition and shopping in a food desert.

The students will strive to develop “interventions” to educate prisoners on issues such as getting colonoscopies and navigating the health care system.

The students’ “interventions” — which could take the form of an app, video or website — will be developed through human centered-design, Gonsher said.

“Human-centered design is based on a process where you go to try to understand a problem, make prototypes and critically analyze those prototypes,” he said. “We use conversation and storytelling to communicate with users and use

their insights to design solutions.”

Many of the major themes in the TRI-Lab’s curriculum are ones first-year students confronted this summer while reading Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” as part of the University’s First Readings program. “With ‘The New Jim Crow’ being the First Reading this year, it seemed like a particularly good time for this course to be offered as a TRI-Lab,” Hance said.

“Incarceration is an issue students are deeply interested in from the First Readings and from courses they are taking, and I think it is an issue that Providence is wrestling with,” said Kate Trimble, acting director of the Swearer Center.

This TRI-Lab has been in development for four years: The Swearer Center gave Brockmann a $5,000 planning grant nearly two-and-a-half years ago, Hance said. Brockmann used the grant to conduct outreach and “narrow down” the topic of prisoner health, he added.

“The topic bubbles up organically,” Trimble said. “When we think about which issues we tackle, we’re listening to a number of places. Some of it is student interest; some of it is faculty expertise; some of it is whether the topic matters to the community.”

“I always conceived of it as an incredible research project for us — we

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just needed the money for it,” Brockmann said. “We still need the money,” he added, noting that additional funding will be needed to support the students and community members who will work on prototypes this summer.

While past TRI-Labs have spanned two semesters, the course component of this iteration will be confined to the spring 2016 semester. “One real challenge that we’ve found is students would love to do a year-long, two-semester course sequence, but it’s very difficult to fit into a busy schedule with concentration requirements,” Hance said. “So what we’re trying is a one-semester TRI-Lab and then following it with summer opportunities.”

Brockmann said he hopes this TRILab will be the first step toward a national dialogue on prisoner health. “In my dreams, if this works, I would propose to colleagues around the country to do a similar effort so we can build a whole health library for use by prisoners,” he said.

“This is extraordinarily ambitious, and if we don’t quite make it, there will be a lot learned in the process,” he added.

“Whether or not we have finished prototypes at the end of the summer, we will be making a real dent one way or another.”

ARTS & CULTURE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Asian Cafe brings more than sushi to table New restaurant on Angell Street offers diverse selection for those craving alternative to campus eats

By HANA PARK STAFF WRITER

As it happens, the weariness of the Sharpe Refectory menu fuels a desire for new food options. The Asian Cafe, a sushi restaurant that recently opened across from Tealuxe on Angell Street, attempts to satisfy that craving — but some sub-par dishes in the restaurant’s varied menu leave the customer searching for a better meal.

The restaurant provides an accessible space for those looking to experience Asian cuisine beyond the repetitive meals available at Andrews Commons and the Blue Room. The Asian Cafe does not aim to be fancy, nor is it particularly spacious: A bar dominates a quarter of the small restaurant. Knowing its customer demographic, The Asian Cafe has a casual atmosphere that provides a great setting for relaxed conversations during lunch and dinner.

Living up to its name, the restaurant offers choices varying from

REVIEW

an average selection of sushi rolls to a wider selection of familiar Asian dishes such as basil chicken and pad Thai. The service is wonderfully accommodating, and the prices mostly range from $12 for items such as beef or shrimp pad Thai and tofu teriyaki to $20 for the sushi deluxe, which consists of seven pieces.

The all-you-can-eat special for $19.95 marks a great choice for voracious eaters. The only caveat is that the customer must pay extra to take home leftovers. The special includes various items from the sushi bar and kitchen, such as a selection of appetizers, tempura and teriyaki. The California rolls were the standard version of the popular sushi roll, and the fried rice was an especially palatable option. From the kitchen, shrimp and chicken tempura were sub-par in comparison to the usually satisfying Japanese staple.

The Asian Cafe is vegetarianfriendly and vegan-friendly — the menu also boasts choices like mango avocado and sweet potato rolls, garden salads and vegetarian udon.

The $20 price tag for some meals may deter some, but students should understand that the Asian Cafe is perfect for semi-special occasions or just a fun night away from monotonous Brown dining halls.

JULIANNA LEE MARINO / HERALD

Eric Nathan, assistant professor of music and an internationally acclaimed composer, showcased his trumpet talents before other faculty performers took the stage for a piano performance and multimedia synthesis.

Showcase features classical and modern acts

Music faculty members delight audience with trumpet, piano, multimedia synthesis

Three Brown faculty members from the Department of Music performed in a showcase Monday night at the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts that accompanied the 2015 Faculty Exhibition. From more traditional performances on an instrument to a multimedia synthesis, their efforts attracted and entertained a large crowd.

The first act of the night was a trumpet performance by Eric Nathan, assistant professor of music. Nathan, an internationally acclaimed composer, draws inspiration in part from his response to other works of art, according to his bio on the music department’s website.

Nathan currently teaches MUSC 0550:

“Theory of Tonal Music.”

The sound of Nathan performing “Cantus” on trumpet was smooth and melodious. The composition for trumpet mimics the human voice, and the performance did so through a wide range of notes and the interspersing of vocal sounds.

Wang Lu, assistant professor of music and a renowned pianist and composer, then performed “Nine Parts of Two” on piano. While her notes pierced the silence of the auditorium, striking architectural images that varied in style were projected, complementing her solo.

Lu teaches MUSC 1030: “Tonal Counterpoint” and MUSC 1100: “Introduction to Composition,” which she said is a “creative course that focuses on instrumental composition and introduction to elements of music such as melody, harmony, texture and timbre, all through repertoire.”

Next semester, Lu will offer a course on “orchestration and a more advanced

theory class,” she said. Down the line, she hopes to teach a class investigating Western music in China since 1900.

Joseph Butch Rovan, professor of music and chair of the department, concluded the night with a multimedia synthesis of sound and motion.

Entitled “Of The Survival of Images,” the performance was the most abstract performance of the showcase.

A video of dancer Ami Shulman played in the background, and Rovan moved a metal ball slightly before each of her movements, as though controlling them. Rovan, a media artist and performer, seemed to be the mastermind in the whole production, as his motions also corresponded to hers and to the sounds.

A large crowd attended the showcase, and the applause indicated that the works were well-received. The David Winton Bell Gallery sponsored this year’s showcase, and will continue to feature faculty and international art and performances all year round.

“I work in digital language arts. My background is as a poet, and I use computation and algorithm to try to make things that are poetic,” he said.

Ellie Irons, adjunct lecturer in art, created watercolor palettes using plants from her native Brooklyn and Colorado, where she was a resident artist at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. The piece in the exhibition, “Hue Dichotomies: A Meadow Spectrum,” compares the two palettes in a video that flashes onto a screen in the gallery.

In the interdisciplinary spirit of the exhibition, Irons’ work combines natural life and traditional painting.

“In a gallery setting, my process has a lot to do with fieldwork and public interaction,” she said. “The installation is didactic in nature and tries to get information across, so it looks

like something from a natural history museum.”

The goal of her work is to showcase the connections between humans and ecosystems and create greater empathy for non-human life, Irons said. “I hope that, by connecting the weeds and the plants and the other organisms to the urban dweller, that cultivates empathy for a range of types of ecosystems,” she said. “There’s more room for interpretation than in the average science display, though.”

Other notable works include an interactive musical instrument by Joseph Butch Rovan, professor and chair of the music department, and Jerry Mischak, senior painting critic at the Rhode Island School of Design. Made of wood, plastic, foam, vinyl tape and electrical circuiting, the brightly-colored and strangely-shaped object lets

viewers elicit sounds by placing their fingers on its touch sensors.

A Nov. 9 multimedia performance by faculty in the music department accompanied the exhibit, and other special programs will take place in the future — including a series of panel discussions with the artists, Russell wrote.

“Our hope is that students and visitors will experience the exhibition as an open space where works from different disciplines and perspectives support each other in compelling and unexpected ways — how the fluidity of paint may support the texture of a video or the color of a watercolor may change how you perceive a sculpture,” Russell wrote, adding, “We feel this interdisciplinary dialogue is core to what makes the arts at Brown so unique.”

By COREY HEBERT STAFF WRITER

ELI WHITE / HERALD

Replacing Spats, the Asian Cafe provides an alternative to the Asian cuisine served at Andrews Commons and the Blue Room.

» FACULTY ART, from page 1 to create something simpler that he could do alone. For the Faculty Exhibition, Winkler presented an unfinished time lapse video, which he created by fixing a camera onto his deck and taking photos of the sunset outside his apartment every night for a few months.

“I’m interested in multi-sensual artwork that’s participatory in some way,” Winkler said. “I came up with the idea to index time with your body.”

By moving toward Winkler’s piece, “multiple layers of video crossfade from the most recent sunsets to the oldest, moving the images backwards in time,” the installation’s caption reads.

Moving from visual to aural forms

of art, John Cayley, professor of literary arts, built a sound booth in which visitors interact with one of Amazon’s computer intelligence products, Alexa — the piece is called “The Listeners.”

Walking into the booth, participants answer a series of questions from Alexa, which inquire about the participant’s emotional state. Depending on the participant’s answer, different responses ensue, creating an interactive performance between participant and machine.

Alexa is the first accessible robot that can be brought into domestic and public spaces, Cayley said. Unlike Siri, Alexa does not respond to only one user. Cayley said he was intrigued by this and therefore wanted to create a piece using Alexa. He noted that the piece is not “fantastically literary,” but he gave Alexa a certain voice.

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 6 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

#dispix photo exhibition displays range of disabilities Students collaborate to create exhibit aimed at raising awareness of disability on campus

By KASTURI PANANJADY STAFF WRITER

#dispix is one of the four final projects for PHP 1680I: “Pathology to Power: Disability, Health and Community.”

This article is the first in a series that will cover students’ attempts to increase the visibility of disability on campus.

PATHOLOGY TO POWER An expectant buzz filled the Brown/RISD Hillel Social Hall as students and professors gathered at the unveiling of #dispix, a social art project and photo exhibition. #dispix features photos taken by Brown students and Providence community members with disabilities, giving them an opportunity to depict the world as they see it through a photograph.

Event coordinators asked participants to “encapsulate their disability,” and submissions varied widely, from pictures of batteries to selfies. Each photo was accompanied by a caption that described its significance.

Bruce Becker, professor of emergency medicine attending at the Alpert Medical School, originally started PHP 1680I: “Pathology to Power: Disability, Health and Community.”

He now co-teaches the course with Sarah Skeels, a teaching associate in behavioral and social sciences at the School of Public Health.

Picture this The idea for a photography exhibition came from Photovoice, a grassroots photography project that tells the stories of marginalized groups, said Gabrielle Goodrow ’16, one of the event coordinators.

The decision to let people take their own photos with their phones was deliberate, Goodrow said, noting that it gave them control over the presentation of their lives.

When professional photographers are involved, there is a tendency to dehumanize disability, she said. “I have posed for medical journals before, and it is a terrifying experience because you’re nude, they black out your face with a bar and focus on all the parts of yourself that you’re least happy about,” she added.

Emily Siegel ’16, another event coordinator, contributed a photo of her grandfather to the exhibition.

She said she saw the picture as particularly significant because “people believe that disability is something they are immune to, but it happens to everyone if they live long enough.”

Morgan Demmler ’17, another coordinator of #dispix who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, said the response to her photo contribution was “very

MARIANNA MCMURDOCK / HERALD

“The course speaks to an area of great need and curiosity on the part of Brown students. There is no other such course on disability studies on campus,” said Bruce Becker, professor at the Alpert Medical School. accepting,” adding that Brown students’ general open-mindedness has made it easier for her to talk about her disability.

Changing course “The course speaks to an area of great need and curiosity on the part of Brown students,” Becker said. “There is no other such course on disability studies on campus, and there never has been.”

The main objective of the course is to challenge preconceptions about disability, Becker said. “We have a

whole story in our heads. You don’t have to go any further than Disney movies — the man with the amputated arm is Captain Hook, the villain.

Part of the work we do in the course is to tear some of this edifice away.”

“I never went through a process to learn to talk about disability properly before,” said Libby Zorn ’16, a student in the course.

Capped at 45 students, the course has become increasingly popular in recent years, said Amy Andrews ’16, a coordinator of #dispix.

Guest speakers with disabilities present on subjects such as sexuality as they understand them, Becker said.

Most of the students enrolled in the course are pre-med, and projects and guest speakers are intended to prepare them for the social ramifications of practicing medicine, he said.

“Nothing in pre-med coursework so far prepares you for the moment when you have to give someone a diagnosis,” he added.

Siegel, a pre-med student, said she perceived a disconnect between the medical and social models of disability. She said she struggled with learning to look beyond medical terminology at the beginning of the semester. “I’d be thinking, what is the mental health diagnosis I’m supposed to be looking for in this movie? Then I’d have to say, ‘Stop. It doesn’t matter,’” she said.

While the exhibition showcased a spectrum of illnesses and ages from Brown and beyond, a gender imbalance was evident. Of the 10 photos, only two were submitted by men.

“It was a self-selecting sample — people in our section reached out to

people that they knew, and our section is mostly women,” Andrews said, adding that the majority of students in the class also identify as women.

Becker said the class had always been more popular among female students, despite having both male and female teachers. “I find it interesting, but I haven’t had the time to look into it. I will say that a man doesn’t take disability studies because of the ways men are raised in our culture.”

Raising awareness Goodrow said the goal of #dispix was to increase awareness about disability on campus.

Demmler said she feels the administration is “not on the same page” as she is, noting that she found it difficult to be re-admitted to the University after taking a year off for health-related issues. “They think they’re helping us, but they are not listening to us,” she said.

Alison Rolandelli ’16, an attendee, said while Brown students “are always trying to be politically correct, we don’t always know how.” She said the event made her start to question her attitude toward disability, though she left with no hard answers.

“I would have described the event as inspiring, but seeing what one girl wrote about always being seen as brave first and never pretty, I don’t know — #dispix has been eyeopening,” Rolandelli said.

Looking ahead, the coordinators hope to see #dispix go digital. They plan on posting the pictures and captions on a website and adding submissions to their online collection, Goodrow said.

Follow The Herald! @the_herald

SPORTS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Impressive performance from Berg ’16 catapults Bears to second-place finish Alisa Berg ’16 notches seven points in intermediate fences divison season debut

By EMILE BAUTISTA STAFF WRITER

Still in search of a postseason berth, the equestrian team finished comfortably in second place at the University of Rhode Island IHSA Show last Saturday. The team benefitted from first-place finishes by two point riders, including co-captain Alisa Berg ’16.

Last weekend marked Berg’s first time competing in the intermediate fences division this season, and she had a spectacular debut, as she stepped up and secured seven key points for the team.

Berg treats horseback riding as a mix of art and sport. For her masterful display of artistry and athletics last weekend, Berg has been named The Herald’s Athlete of the Week.

Herald: What got you into equestrian?

Berg: I started when I was nine. I was one of those girls who loved horses when I was little, and my dad signed me up for a riding lesson to placate me. I loved it, so I kept doing it. Then I signed

up for weekly riding lessons. Now here I am, 13 years later, still riding.

I actually grew up in the city, and it was not something a lot of people around me were doing. It’s one of those things where once people start, they get really into it, and it’s easy to get hooked on it.

Last weekend, you competed in intermediate fences for the first time.

What was the reason for that, and what was your mindset?

Because one of our main intermediate fences riders was coming close to pointing out, we were looking to hold her for the postseason. So it came down to either another intermediate fences rider or me to represent the team. I had ridden novice fences before, but at intermediate, the course is more complex, and you are judged at a higher level. But I won, and it was really exciting.

What division do you usually ride in?

I’ve been riding intermediate flat all fall. But I’m close to pointing out, so I’m being held in that division. I probably won’t compete in intermediate flat unless we lose our chances at the postseason. The divisions I’m currently qualified in are intermediate flat and fences.

How is the preparation different

for flats and fences?

We practice twice a week at least. We go to the barn, and our coach gives us a riding lesson. Every ride, we essentially start working on the flat because you have to warm the horse and yourself up.

The best way to think about fences is just flat with jumps in between. So we use the same principles but also have the extra challenge of the jumps. Then we do one or two warm-up jumps. Coach will set up jumps and random courses and have you go over it. If you mess up, you go over it again. So we just do a bunch of courses like that.

What kind of riding do you like best and why?

In high school, I did dressage, while here we do hunt seat equitation. In some ways, I miss dressage because I miss the ability to work with one horse and train it. The jumping is not something I spent a lot of time doing before college, but it’s fun and exhilarating.

Flat is easier for me just because of my background. I feel like I’m able to win more consistently in flat. But jumping is something I’ve certainly improved upon.

What’s the toughest part of riding?

At the collegiate level, definitely having a random horse at competitions.

When you’re riding the same horse, you

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Alisa Berg ’16 had a spectacular debut in the intermediate fences division on her way to a crucial first-place finish at the URI IHSA Show Saturday. develop a working relationship with it. When you get on a horse at a show, you’ll have a one-sentence description.

For example, maybe he’s stiff to the left.

You don’t have the leeway in the show ring to figure that out.

You try to look as good as you can.

It’s not your job in the show ring to train the horse; it’s to show you’re a good rider and you can do it effectively. You never know what you’re going to get.

Do you play any other sports, and if you could play another, what would it be?

Riding is very time-consuming, so I never had time to explore other sports.

Field hockey, soccer and basketball are all fun. Polo would also be fun since it’s on horses, too.

— This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

M. BASKETBALL

Revamped Bears look to compete in loaded conference Transfers, rookies mix with returning contributors hungry for successful campaign

By CALEB MILLER STAFF WRITER

Sometimes in life, good things come in small packages. In basketball, that package better be able to run fast and shoot the lights out. Such is the test for the men’s basketball team as it opens its 2015-16 season at Saint Peter’s Friday night.

Head Coach Mike Martin ’04 enters his fourth season at the helm, looking to bounce back from a shaky 13-18 finish in 2014-15. A strong returning core roster will help, but small

stature and a talented league stand in Bruno’s way.

The Bears have no shortage of leadership, with the return of three-year team captain Cedric Kuakumensah ’16. The 6-foot-9 senior is the only forward on the roster who played more than four minutes per game last year. But Kuakumensah is up to the task, opening his final chapter having already accomplished plenty in his three years in the Bears’ starting lineup: His 93 blocks two years ago are an Ivy League record, and he begins 2015 just 18 swats away from becoming the league’s all-time blocked shots leader. Besides protecting the rim, Kuakumensah has refined his offensive game, improved his points per game in each of his first three season and netted 11.2 per contest last year.

JOSH STERN / HERALD

Cedric Kuakamensah ’16 dribbles past a Harvard defender. The senior leads a Bears team that looks to upend the established Ivy frontrunners.

As a preseason All-Ivy selection, Kuakumensah headlines a strong core of four returning starters. Steven Spieth ’17 is no stranger to the starting lineup, having started 58 of Bruno’s 59 games since he stepped on campus two years ago.

Spieth is a box-score stuffer who does a little of everything. He finished last season averaging the third-most points (9.9), the third-most rebounds (4.7), the second-most assists (2.1) and the most steals (2.0). Spieth has perhaps the greatest adjustment entering 2015, as he will be called on to play forward and guard opponents’ second-biggest player.

Bruno fans will see a familiar face bring the ball down the court, as Tavon Blackmon ’17 will run the point for his third consecutive season. Blackmon showed the Ivy League what he could do with a breakout 25-point, nineassist effort against first-place Harvard last season. When he is able to limit his turnovers, Blackmon can be the team’s most dynamic player.

“I’m more confident, more mature this season,” Blackmon said, adding that he has taken on much more of a leadership role in his junior year.

Thrust into the starting lineup after leading scorer Leland King left the program midway through the season last year, J.R. Hobbie ’17 is as lethal a three-point shooter as there is in the Ivy League. The marksman shot 40 percent from beyond the arc despite getting hounded by opposing defenses.

Bruno’s fifth starter will likely be a man with plenty of collegiate basketball experience, but none played in a Brown uniform. Justin Massey ’18 transferred from Florida Atlantic this season to join his twin brother Jason Massey ’18 at Brown. The duo could be

a major factor for Bruno this season.

Justin Massey posted 7.5 points per game for the FAU Owls last year, and his highest-scoring game of the season came when he put up 17 points against Harvard. He said his transition to Brown has been seamless.

As a great defender with experience at the Division I level, Justin Massey figures to be on the floor as Bruno’s fifth starter Friday night. But his brother will also take on a much bigger role this season, according to Blackmon, who said the duo has looked good in practice and will play “big minutes.”

Tyler Williams ’18 and Patrick Triplett ’18 played minutes at guard as rookies and will look to build on that in their sophomore campaigns.

While the team lost only three players who logged more than 10 minutes per game last season, all three players were forwards. Though graduation of former captain and starting center Rafael Maia ’15 leaves the largest hole, a lack of height throughout the entire roster may prove an obstacle for the Bears against the league’s taller lineups.

Martin and the Bears will combat their lack of size with an “incredibly fast” team, Blackmon said. “We are going be able to run.”

“We’ve really amped up the conditioning in this preseason,” Justin Massey said.

The other advantage the Bears have is versatility, Justin Massey said. “We are not a big team, but we have a lot of guys that can play different positions.”

With Spieth and the Masseys able to play as either guards or forwards, Martin has a lot of options for lineup combinations.

Offensively, the production will likely come from outside the paint.

A week into the preseason, Martin

tweeted that he would have a good three-point shooting group, and the numbers back him up. Hobbie returns as one of the most feared long-range options in the league, and he is joined this season by Justin Massey, whose 40 percent three-point shooting for FAU matched Hobbie’s rate at Brown.

Kuakumensah showed beautiful touch for a big man last year, draining treys at a 35 percent clip. Blackmon and Spieth are also both threats to get hot from the perimeter, rounding out a lineup full of shooters.

A couple of new players may see the court in order to spell Kuakumensah down low. Aram Martin ’17 spent his first season injured and did not play last year, but he will finally make his debut as a junior this season. Martin’s long 6-foot-10 frame makes him a valuable presence in the front court.

Forward Travis Fuller ’19 is one of two rookies who could see early playing time. The 6-foot-9 California native averaged a double-double in high school but may need some time to adjust to college ball. Local high school star Corey Daugherty ’19 could also have a meaningful role off the bench after winning the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year award out of Barrington last year.

Four returning starters, a talented transfer and impact bench players are good signs for Bruno, but nothing is certain in an incredibly strong Ivy League this season. Yale, Columbia and Princeton return most of their rosters and were picked as a virtual threeway tie for first place in preseason polls — not to mention four-time reigning champion Harvard, which is sure to reload with another good squad.

March Madness is a long way away, but Bruno will start its march Friday.

SPORTS

PAGE 8 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

SPORTS FEATURE

Double team: Masseys look to take on Ivy League together Reuniting after year apart, sophomore twins use complementary skills to mesh on court

By TANEIL RUFFIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In its 110th season, the men’s basketball team has a plethora of surprises in store for fans and followers of the program. Bruno’s non-conference schedule boasts matchups against historically strong programs that often garner national recognition, Georgetown and Southern Methodist.

The squad will also be outfitted in new uniforms and gear this year courtesy of the University’s relationship with Nike. But perhaps the most striking addition to this year’s team looks exactly like one of his teammates.

While Jason Massey ’18 stands about an inch taller than Justin Massey ’18, one look at the guards could leave just about any spectator,

or defender, a bit confused. The pair are identical twins.

Left-hander Jason and righthander Justin may look similar, but their styles of play vary significantly.

“They’re totally different. Justin is more of a shooter. He’s a really good defender, but he’s a really good shooter and scorer,” said teammate and point guard Tavon Blackmon ’17.

“Jason is a good flasher and passer.”

The Cooper City, Florida natives were both standouts in high school.

Jason — who is older by 37 seconds — and Justin worked in tandem to help American Heritage High School secure the school’s first state title.

The duo envisioned extending their time on the court together past high school.

“Our ultimate goal was to play together in college,” Justin said. “So to have this opportunity was really like a blessing for us.”

But their ambitions were put on hold for a year as Justin went to play for Florida Atlantic and Jason came

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Jason Massey ’18 reaches for a steal. While Jason is known more for his cutting and passing, his twin brother Justin Massey ’18 is a score-first guard.

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Ivy League opponents will be seeing double this year, as Justin Massey ’18 (right) joins his twin brother Jason Massey ’18 on the court for Brown. Justin comes to Providence after playing one season at Florida Atlantic. to Brown. Though not desirable, the season apart gave the Masseys opportunities to shine. Last year, both brothers made impressive contributions to their respective teams.

Jason played in all 30 of the Bears’ games and garnered a starting spot in three of the contests. In his first season, the 6-foot-4 guard averaged about two points and one board in just under 10 minutes of action. At FAU, Justin managed to make an impact on a team despite a packed backcourt. As a rookie, Justin saw action in all 29 games, starting 11.

The brothers also believe that the time away from each other strengthened their relationship.

“We talked all day, every day, other than when we were in practice,” Justin said.

But for Justin, being able to join his brother on the basketball court again also means getting acquainted with Brown’s style of play.

“I spent the whole year last year learning a new system,” Justin said.

“I’m learning a new thing again, so

it’s been a little tough, but I think I’m coming along.”

Ivy League competition is not completely foreign to Justin. The guard dropped a season-high 17 points against one of the Ancient Eight’s own — eventual conference champion Harvard.

Blackmon said Justin is fitting in well with the team. “Justin’s a great player and a great person,” he added.

The brothers insist that competition has never negatively impacted their progress on the court, but they feel they are harder on each other than on other teammates.

“At times we hold each other accountable for things we wouldn’t hold any other teammate accountable for,” Jason said.

“There can sometimes be bickering back and forth over smaller things,” Justin said.

In spite of the occasional spat, the Masseys believe they have a lot to offer the team, including what could be described as twin telepathy.

Jason recalled how last season, it

took him some time to become accustomed to his teammates’ styles of play. But playing with Justin has proved a lot easier for him.

“With my brother, it’s like an instinct almost,” Jason said. “We’ve been doing this for years now, so I know what he likes to do.”

“In general, we’ll sometimes think the same things at the same time,” Justin added. “That translates to the court also. We’re also both unselfish players, and the chemistry we’ve had growing up adds to the whole team as a unit.”

The Masseys will get the chance to showcase this chemistry very soon, as the Bears open their season Friday against St. Peter’s.

On the eve of their first collegiate game together, the brothers are excited about their reunion.

“I appreciate the fact that there is someone who cares about you and who you can always talk to,” Jason said.

And now that they’re finally united? “It’s even better,” he added.

TODAY

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • PAGE 9

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

menu

fired up

SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Pizzas: Bacon Cheeseburger, Buffalo Chicken, Harvest JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Made-to-Order Quesadillas

Clam Chowder Naked Burritos

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Cajun Spiced Chicken Sandwich, Cajun Potatoes, Milk and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chicken Parmesan, Macaroni and Cheese, Pineapple Upside Down Cake

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Breaded Chicken Fingers, Vegan Nuggets, Vegan Rice Pilaf, Chocolate Frosted Eclairs

Seafood Gumbo with Clam Juice, Grilled Turkey Burger, Spinach Pie Casserole, Banana Cream Pie

sudoku

RELEASE DATE– Friday, November 13, 2015

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich ACROSS 1 Set into motion 8 Golf alternative, briefly 15 Red bowlful 16 __ Itzá: Mayan ruins 17 Classic leading man who moonlighted at a pharmacy?

19 Second of 24 20 L.A. Kings’ org.

21 Management 22 Fiji’s region 25 Pulitzer-winning writer who moonlighted in a nightly news studio?

32 Saying that often goes without saying 33 Breaks down 34 One with a handbook 36 Tony winner Huffman 37 Bolshoi outfit 38 Kitchen bar 39 “I’d strike the sun if it insulted me” speaker 43 Folklore threats 44 Actor who moonlighted in a brass band?

47 Makes complementary (to) 48 “Here Come the __”: 1945 college comedy 52 Actor Stephen 53 18-Down competitor 57 English author who moonlighted at LensCrafters?

61 Enhances in the kitchen 62 “That’s my recommendation” 63 Reply to “That’s enough!”

64 Pool workers DOWN 1 Rhyme scheme in many sonnets 2 Bear up 3 Moderate pace 4 Open org.

5 “__ du lieber!”

6 From that place

7 Rembrandt and Picasso, at times 8 Obsolescent family room fixture 9 Justification 10 Puzzle sometimes framed 11 Hose shade 12 Southeast Asian language 13 Garden party protection 14 Garden party intruders 18 53-Across competitor 22 Resistance unit 23 Collar 24 A-listers 25 City SSW of Dallas 26 Praise to the heavens 27 To help, to Henri 28 Piece of toast?

29 Expenditure 30 Activity of great interest?

31 __ One: vodka brand 35 Scam 39 Proper 40 In a lather, with “up”

41 Words with take or lose 42 Fund-raiser 43 Like “fain”: Abbr.

45 Poe of the Baltimore Ravens, for one 46 Certain agent’s area 48 Mozart title starter 49 General Motors subsidiary

50 Substitute in a list 51 Ph.D. hurdle 53 Both, at the start 54 Contests 55 Smithsonian, e.g.: Abbr.

56 PD ranks 58 Italian diminutive suffix 59 Venom transmitter 60 Arguable ability

ELI WHITE / HERALD

Students explored different opportunities available at the Fellowships, Internships and Research Experiences fair Thursday in the Kasper Multipurpose Room in the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center.

comics Cat Ears | Najatee’ McNeil

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Baby It’s Gold Outside 5:00 P.M. Pembroke Field House

UNICEF Movie Screening: The Good Lie 6:30 P.M. Smith-Buonanno 106

SATURDAY MEDLIFE Dodgeball Tournament 2015 3:00 P.M. Pembroke Field

A Brief and Wondrous Night with Junot Diaz 6:30 P.M. Salomon 101

SUNDAY United States Senator Jack Reed Lecture 4:00 P.M. John Carter Brown Library

Brazilian Choro Workshop 8:00 P.M. Orwig Music Building

COMMENTARY PAGE 10 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Brown Bites: Nov. 7-13

BY MARCY HUANG

Blackout at Brown Hundreds of students, faculty members and administrators dressed in black showed solidarity on the Quiet Green for the victims of hate speech and threats of racialized violence at Mizzou. Many students of color spoke about issues of racism in the Brown community. “I charge this university and many others for being perpetrators of structural and ideological racism, sexism and other systems of oppression,” said Khalif Andre ’19. Justice Gaines ’16 also spoke to the crowd, saying, “You think Brown’s been doing a good job? Because something that happened at Mizzou or at Yale or at many of the other institutions across the nation might happen here.” The group then marched to the Faunce steps, where grad students in the Africana Studies department and other grad departments held a teach-in. Speakers read a list of demands, and students of color shared their own experiences. Lily Mengesha GS, a fourth-year grad student, explained the unproductivity of arguments for neutrality, noting, “I’ve gotten used to feeling silenced by the institution.”

Where in the world is CPax? In under a year, President Paxson has spent 71 days traveling to 16 different cities in five different countries. But Paxson’s travels aren’t all sunbathing with pina coladas: She jet sets to meetings with alums and presidential advisory councils to raise money and awareness for Brown. A group of staff members meets with Paxson regularly to create her schedule, with the group attempting to balance time on and off campus. Considering Paxson has already traveled to the West Coast, NYC and Boston this fall, we can’t help but wonder what her favorite airplane snack is.

Jr. Dr.s The number of PLME early decision applications dropped to 250 for the class of 2020, down from 410 last year. But according to Dean of Admission Jim Miller ’73, the drop was expected due to the change in ED policy. Under the new policy, PLME ED applicants admitted to the College but not the PLME program are now required to attend Brown. Miller said the overall number of ED applicants to the class of 2020 has remained fairly constant with that of previous years, though Brown’s application required fewer supplements this year. Wow. The class of 2020. We’ve never felt so old.

A N G E L IA WA N G

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

“Practicing anti-racism should be everyone’s job, not just students of color.”

— Lily Mengesha GS

See blackout on page 1.

MUN fun If you were confused why almost 1,000 miniature people in business clothes flocked to campus last weekend, fear not: High schoolers from all over the world were assembling at Brown for the 19th annual Brown University Simulation of the United Nations. Following the theme of “Transformative Technology,” 41 committees of students simulated everything from the board of directors at Uber to the historical development of the 30 Years’ War. But one of the most impressive parts of the conference was the size of the high schoolers’ business casual wardrobes — seriously, how are all these 16-year-olds better dressed than we are?

An unconventional convention The two-day, fourth annual Rhode Island Comic Con swept Providence last weekend, as fans attended panels, took part in a Q&A and snapped photos with their heroes at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Participants were able to catch a glimpse of Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke — the voices of Spongebob and Patrick — along with actors Selma Blair and Jason Momoa. Several attendees also cosplayed, with many citing the convention community as one of the primary draws to the event. According to Gus Roth ’17, who attended the convention dressed as a Jedi knight, “Popular culture is now nerd culture in a sense.” Nerd culture? Finally. Our time has come.

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COMMENTARY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • PAGE 11

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Slacktivism and the politics of virality RACHEL MONTOYA opinions editor

When I was younger, my mother didn’t let me watch the news. “They only report on the tragedies that happen,” she told me, “and I don’t want you to think that the world is a terrible place.”

Indeed, scrolling through headlines online, I am inundated with graphic images of pain, violence and loss. Especially with the increased visibility offered by social media, graphic images have become everyday sights — so common that they seem to have lost some of their impact and ability to inspire action. Rather than being used as tools to bring about change, graphic images today are wielded as tools of virality, viewed and shared more out of a strange sense of voyeuristic compassion and slacktivism than a true desire to better the world.

When considering the history of photojournalism, the Vietnam War comes to mind as one of the first marked instances in which photography truly had the ability to sway public opinion and ignite protests and cries for tangible change in real time. Images like that of the self-immolation of Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc and of young, naked Kim Phuc Phan Thi running away from a napalm attack on her home showed

American viewers the human toll of the war and led to growing disillusionment and anti-war protests in the United States.

Today, similarly graphic images fail to have the same global impact.

In early September, an image began to circulate worldwide of three-year-old Aylan, a Syrian refugee who drowned during his attempt to find sanctuary in Europe. The image, which was plastered on the covers of newspapers and shared online on various social me-

to truly accomplish?

Instead of leading to increased aid for refugees — the people who actually need to be helped — the spread of the photo seems to have led to merely feelings of compassion and charity among those who viewed and shared it. Truly helping Syrian refugees requires more than just sharing a photo online and feeling content at having raised awareness. To facilitate true change in the form of increased areas of resettlement, governments would

efforts that had taken place before.

Meant to empower privileged Westerners with the idea that they could play a part in the capture of a war criminal, the campaign oversimplified the political situation in Uganda at the time and perpetuated problematic white-savior models of activism.

It is clear that this slacktivism often isn’t productive, yet it still persists.

No major change comes from liking, sharing and clicking on a major global problem. Viral activism no doubt

Rather than being used as tools to bring about change, graphic images today are used as tools of virality, viewed and shared more out of a strange sense of voyeuristic compassion and slacktivism than a true desire to better the world. dia platforms, shows Aylan’s tiny, still body on the Turkish shoreline — a symbol of the heartbreak and struggle experienced by so many fleeing Syrians.

Millions of people saw the image of Aylan’s body, but little has truly changed. There are still around 400,000 refugees in need of resettlement, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. Children like Aylan still drown as their families take great risks to reach safety, so what did the “awareness” generated by his pho-

have to be pressured and anti-immigrant sentiments would have to be addressed.

This same form of viral activism was seen in the “Kony 2012” campaign, which involved young white millennials starting an online movement and claiming that increasing awareness of Joseph Kony — the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda — would lead to his capture.

They encouraged people to share images of Kony as if this alone could do more than all the Ugandan and UN

comes from a well-meaning place, but if we hope to make truly tangible change, we must do more than generate awareness of complicated political issues.

There are times when virality is a useful tool for activists, but even these situations are not as simple as sharing an idea or image online and then moving on, the good deed accomplished. We must be aware of including the voices of those for whom we intend to inspire change when participating in such campaigns and be aware of our own privilege as West-

erners who are lucky enough to be so comfortable in life that activism is a choice.

The #BlackLivesMatter campaign is a sterling example of this: It was started by black activists and designed to use the virality of social media to combat police brutality and systematic racism. But, admirably, activists followed these initial social media efforts with persistent demonstrations and political action. Tweeting #BlackLivesMatter and sharing images of drowned children are not enough when we are dealing with real lives and real suffering.

If we truly hope to improve those lives, we must move beyond virality and into real world actions. As Dinaw Mengestu wrote in 2012 in response to the “Kony 2012” campaign, “Our best, most human instincts of compassion and generosity, if they are to be meaningful, can’t come from a marketing campaign as simple, as base, as an advertisement for a soft drink that promises you the world for a single sip. If we care, then we should care enough to say that we need to know more, that we don’t have an easy answer, but that we’re going to stay and work until we find one. You can’t put that on a t-shirt or a poster. You can’t tweet that, but you can live by it.”

Rachel Montoya ’16 can be reached at rachel_montoya@brown.edu.

Bedtime stories AMEER MALIK opinions columnist

Night descends upon us much sooner than it used to a few weeks ago, and it’s taking a huge toll on my energy. I am finding it much harder to stay out of my room for much of the day, and I usually feel a yearning to go back to my dorm as soon as I can after classes. I’m not sure what the cause of this lack of activity is — maybe it’s the absence of sunlight after about 5 p.m., or maybe it’s the colder weather that also arrives during this part of the year. I suspect quite a few of my fellow students might feel the same way I do, for I notice fewer people walking around campus and studying in the library at night.

What should we do now that there are fewer hours of daylight, especially when we may lack the will to exert much energy? (I mean something besides studying; there seems to be no end to the studying we could be getting done.) We should be doing what nighttime is perfect for: reading, particularly stories and poetry.

Conditions during this time of the year make it more likely for us to face difficult, profound questions about life. On an individual level, literature can help us come to grips with these dilemmas.

The external world has become quieter earlier in the day, which leaves us with fewer ways to occupy our minds. Before, we may have been more likely to spend time with friends on the Main

Green or attend events around campus, but now we may no longer find it easy to do these activities.

With less to do, the mind can become idle, which can lead to difficult situations.

In a speech at Kenyon College in February 2014, the author John Green read a quote about the relationship between dullness and pain from David Foster Wallace’s “The Pale King.”

Green then said “The deeper, omnipresent pain that I try to distract myself from feeling might be the pain of meaninglessness. I think we have to distract ourselves from the terrifying possibility that our selves are without value — that the vast, interior lives that we lead are going to die entirely

eral choices about matters related to Brown (“Why am I choosing this particular field of study?”). As Green suggests, these questions are always with us, but we typically find ways to distract ourselves from them.

So what can we do when many of our distractions are gone? We could, as Green mentions, engage in distractions that are always available to us, such as certain forms of media. Or we could use this time as an opportunity to engage with literature.

Many of the sources of distraction that can prevent us from tackling our “to read” lists are gone at around this time of year, too. And through

Conditions during this time of the year make it more likely for us to face difficult, profound questions about life. On an individual level, literature can help us come to grips with these dilemmas. with us and be extinguished.”

Green describes the question of meaning and the fleeting nature of existence, which could come to the forefront of many students’ minds as the world around us gets ready for winter’s sleep.

Other questions beyond “What is the meaning of life?” that could bother us include big issues of life such as purpose, morality and ethics. These could pertain to specific actions and behaviors (“Was it right for me to have acted in this way?”) or to gen-

the stories, novels and poems we read, we can find musings on the issues that plague us. The best literature (as well as the best kind of art in general) seeks to capture an essential aspect of the human experience. Therefore, many writers, in the works they create, address the profound questions of life that haunt us all.

I remember a very difficult time during high school — I was miserable, but my class was walking outside and noticing how beautiful the weath-

er was. I remember making a comment to my friends that while the weather was great, the “universe doesn’t give a shit about you.” I did not know how else to express my situation.

In Fall 2014, during my first semester at Brown, I took a class about poetry in which I read a poem by W. H. Auden called “Musee des Beaux Arts.” The poem refers to “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,” a painting by Pieter Bruegel, to articulate the stark contrast that exists between an individual facing immense suffering and the world around the individual carrying on, unaltered by this person’s pain. In the poem, I found the same dilemma I faced in high school (and during other moments in my life) being dealt with, and I felt comforted. To this day, I feel moved when I read the poem.

When deep questions feel the most immediate, it’s time to engage with literature to find your answers. Someone could discover that a novel addresses an ethical crisis occurring in her life.

Someone else grappling with questions of purpose could read a story in which the main character tries to find a purpose to his life, too. I hope that you can find the time to read poems, stories, novels and all other kinds of literature, and that doing so will give you comfort during these (literally) darker times.

Ameer Malik ’18 is concentrating in literary arts, which probably explains a lot. He can be reached at ameer_malik@brown.edu.

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SPORTS COMMENTARY THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

Open field in 2015 World Squash Championship

BY CHARLIE BLASBERG sports columnist

Over the next two weeks, Bellevue, Washington will host the 2015 World Squash Championship, which has a field unlike any other in recent memory. The current landscape of professional squash has a top tier of four players: Egypt’s Mohamed El Shorbagy and Ramy Ashour along with England’s Nick Matthew and the “French General,” Gregory Gaultier.

Complementing this upper echelon is a fluid group of the next 30 ranked players. Some, like elder statesmen Peter Barker and Daryl Selby, have spent considerable time in the world’s top 10. Others, like 18-yearold Peruvian prodigy Diego Elias, are just bursting onto the scene. This year in particular provides ample opportunities for upsets in the seedings, as the world rankings — on which the seedings are based — only take into account tournament results, neglecting the prowess of some of these younger players.

The two favorites to reach the final of this year’s tournament are El Shorbagy and Ashour. They are placed on opposite sides of the draw this year, so their meeting in the final is a legitimate possibility.

El Shorbagy has been as consistently dominant over the past yearand-a-half as anyone in the last decade, holding the world’s number one ranking for over a year. One of El Shorbagy’s greatest strengths is his ability to move past first- and second-round scares and raise his level of play as the match becomes more important.

El Shorbagy has reached two consecutive World Championship finals, but he has lost both at the hands of his compatriot and kryptonite, Ashour.

El Shorbagy seems to have a mental block when it comes to playing Ashour, as he often gets an early lead but crumbles as he approaches victory.

But this season, Ashour is arguably less potent. Though his shots and strategy have been very effective, his movement has struggled as he has been sidelined with multiple injuries since the season began in the fall.

The World Championship presents a 64-player draw — one more round than a standard PSA event. This means that the physically iffy Ashour will have to play one more match to reach the finals.

On top of this, Ashour has drawn a young talent in Mazen Hesham for a first round match. Hesham’s low seeding does not reflect how dangerous a player he is. A creative and erratic shot maker, Hesham is coming off a successful campaign at the Qatar Classic,

where he reached the semifinals before coming up short against Gaultier in a hotly contested, four-game battle.

If Hesham does not beat Ashour, he will definitely take some wind out of his sails for the rest of this grueling tournament. Though the masses would love to see a third straight World Championship final between Ashour and El Shorbagy, Ashour does not have what it takes physically to reach the final in a five-round tournament. Reaching and perhaps winning the final is a task well within El Shorbagy’s grasp.

Gaultier has held the world’s number one ranking for over 10 months and has reached the World Championship final four times, but the prestigious World Championship title has eluded him. In Gaultier’s first trip to the final in 2006, he met David Palmer, a legend of the modern game, and despite getting an early two-game lead, Gaultier lost in an epic encounter. The very next year, he dropped the final to Amr Shabana. In both 2011 and 2013, Gaultier lost classic matches to Matthew.

As the only player of his caliber without a World Championship win, Gaultier has made it clear from the beginning of the year that his goal is to capture the title of this event. His quarter of the draw is manageable — it’s full of players whom he has beaten in the past without trouble.

Gaultier’s stamina has always been an asset, so the extra round of this tournament will not pose an issue for him. The only two people standing in the way of his first World Title are El Shorbagy and himself. Gaultier is set up to meet El Shorbagy in the semifinals, and the matchup of these two titans of the game has been a seesaw affair of late, with the last meeting going to El Shorbagy. Gaultier has particular trouble countering the immense pace with which El Shorbagy plays.

While Gaultier is a terrific mover and an effective finesse player, El Shorbagy plays with a power and intensity that no one in the world can match. If Gaultier can get past Shorbagy, he will have the confidence to beat anyone he confronts in the final.

Mentally, Gaultier can have trouble when he finds himself behind by the middle of the match, especially against a lower seeded player. He often makes matches harder than they have to be by involving referees and forcing shots at the wrong times during rallies. Composure will be paramount to Gaultier’s success in this tournament.

The World Championship this year features a few notable Ivy League alums. Ali Farag, a prodigy from Egypt, has been quickly climbing the rankings since his graduation from Harvard almost two years ago. He won two collegiate individual titles as well as a

team title during his time there. He is also coming off a quarterfinal appearance in Qatar, in which he downed two top-15 players. Three weeks before that, he pushed Gaultier to five games after facing four match points in the fourth game. The future is bright for young Farag, and this tournament is an opportunity for him to show his prowess on the largest stage. Farag will take on a qualifier in the first round.

Julian Illingworth, Yale class of 2003, has suffered a recent fall from grace since his career-high world ranking of 24 in 2012. He is now ranked 219, but he received a local wild card spot — a spot in the main draw that the hosting country gives to a native player. He will face a challenge in the first round in the form of fifth-seeded Miguel Ángel Rodríguez.

Nick Talbott ’15 will compete in the qualification rounds of the tournament, which begin Friday. Since his graduation last spring, Talbott has made a name for himself on the European circuit through his hard-nosed play and congenial personality. His ranking has now reached 354, and it will only climb as he gets more comfortable with the travel and training necessary to succeed on the tour.

This year’s World Championship offers an unprecedented sum of prize money: $350,000. With the field as open as it is this year, that money could belong to anyone.

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