Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

VOLUME CL, ISSUE 115

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Left behind: Students feel alienated by leave-taking, readmittance process In approving returns, U. weighs student confidence in mental health stability with its own judgment

By KATE TALERICO SENIOR STAFF WRITER

This story is the last in a three-part series about mental health at Brown and students’ attempts to navigate the gaps in treatment and understanding.

MIND THE GAPS During any given semester, between 150 and 200 students may be on a leave of absence from Brown. Denise Ramirez ’17.5 was once one of those students.

Ramirez had been depressed throughout high school, but she was able to conceal her mental illness under the cover of good grades and participation in extracurriculars.

Yet despite attempts to suppress her depression, it always returned, sometimes with such speed that she felt as if she were drowning in it.

During her freshman year at Brown, Ramirez started feeling anxious when entering lecture halls. She felt an impulse to start screaming obscenities in front of the class, and she was afraid that one day, she would not be able to prevent those words from spilling out.

“My grades went down. I had a hard time concentrating,” Ramirez recounted. “I told myself, ‘This is normal.’”

She made it through her first year without any major incidents but did

not last long into the second. Two nights in, she had a panic attack. Her roommate, unsure of what to do, called Emergency Medical Services, which quickly discerned that Ramirez was having thoughts of self-harm. The emergency medical technicians called the Department of Public Safety to escort Ramirez to Butler Hospital, where she remained for the next two weeks.

“It was there that they told me I couldn’t come back to school,” Ramirez said.

Directly after being discharged, Ramirez was taken to the office of Mary Greineder, assistant dean of Student Support Services. There she signed a few sheets of paperwork and was told that she had the rest of the night to pack. She would then no longer be allowed on campus.

Students on medical leave are often left wondering why they were put on leave and what actions they can take to be readmitted. With the growing rate of students facing mental health issues, the University has been challenged to find a balance that ensures students take sufficient time for treatment, while also setting them on a path to return to Brown.

A mutual decision?

Title II of the Civil Rights Act mandates that a student cannot be placed on leave because they are a risk to themselves, said Maria Suarez, associate dean and director of Student Support Services, insisting that all leaves of absence are taken voluntarily.

Yet many students who have taken

a leave said they felt as though the Office of Student Life forced it on them.

When a student is hospitalized for mental health reasons, the University is notified of the situation within 12 to 24 hours. It then contacts the student’s parents and remains in touch with the student, Suarez said.

Once a student is discharged, the University conducts a post-hospitalization assessment, which gauges academic and social preparedness and includes an evaluation by Counseling and Psychological Services, she said.

“If someone goes to the hospital, it’s definitely not a foregone conclusion that they are going on medical leave,” said Sherri Nelson, director of CAPS. The assigned CAPS counselor engages the student and the student’s health providers in a conversation about the appropriateness of a medical leave. Should the student end up on leave, CAPS records a baseline evaluation of the student’s mental health to which it can refer when the student applies for readmittance. The student is also required to meet with a dean and sign paperwork that formalizes the decision.

Yet, in conversations with The Herald, some students said they never received a CAPS evaluation or signed any paperwork.

Dave, a former Brown student who shared his story in a June Buzzfeed article, said he was put on medical leave while still in the hospital.

Dave’s hospitalization followed two DPS visits to his room in as many weeks — once to break up a fight between

ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD

Within 24 hours of being discharged from the hospital, Denise Ramirez ’17.5 was told by administrators to pack her belongings and leave campus.

Dave and a former girlfriend and again because he had passed out in front of his door. On the night of his hospital admittance, which marked DPS’ third visit, Dave had posted a Facebook status, revealing that he had battled clinical depression for several years and that he planned to kill himself.

Once discharged from the hospital

two weeks later, Dave’s dad arrived at Brown to tell him he had been put on a medical leave of absence and that they were to return home together. Dave did not hear anything from the University, he told The Herald.

Though Suarez could not discuss any specific student cases due to privacy » See LEAVES, page 2

Faculty approves threeStudents point to flaws in diversity plan fragility, year Winter Session pilot Administrative opportunities for staff Paxson also presents on working draft of diversity and inclusion plan at monthly faculty meeting

By DREW WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

The University will begin implementing plans for a three-year Winter Session trial, with the goal of a January 2017 launch, following a unanimous vote for the initiative at a faculty meeting Tuesday.

It is likely that between seven and nine courses will be offered the first year, said Dean of the College Maud Mandel, adding that each course will involve 48 contact hours.

Motions for the creation of the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, the removal of academic warnings from official transcripts once a student re-enters good academic standing and cross-enrollment procedures between

INSIDE

certification and degree programs also passed unanimously.

A large portion of the the meeting was also dedicated to discussion, led by President Christina Paxson P’19, of the University’s plan for diversity and inclusion released Nov. 19.

Planning for Winter Session will begin immediately and be assisted by an employee in the Office of the Dean of the College whose primary job will be to launch the new program, Mandel said. Full financial aid will be offered to students who enroll in Winter Session, with the cost of enrollment equaling “the full cost of a Brown credit,” she said.

Necessary infrastructure such as dining services, Counseling and Psychological Services and Student and Employee Accessibility Services already have on-campus presence over winter break due to the sizable number of athletes and international students on campus in January, Mandel said. But they will » See FACULTY, page 3

feedback among topics discussed at UCS forum

By MATTHEW JARRELL STAFF WRITER

“This isn’t to put you on the spot, but it’s to put you on the spot,” said Mae Verano ’17, addressing a panel of five University administrators at an open forum dedicated to the University’s recently released action plan for diversity and inclusion hosted by the Undergraduate Council of Students Tuesday.

Verano’s concerns were about the perceived “fragility” of administrators in dealing with the issues of promoting diversity, one of many criticisms levied by students who assert the plan is non-inclusive and that it is insufficient to meet the challenges of ensuring a diverse community.

The forum stoked heated discussion

between students and the five panelists: Provost Richard Locke P’17; Dean of the College Maud Mandel; Vice President for Academic Development, Diversity and Inclusion Liza CariagaLo; Interim Assistant Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services Mary Grace Almandrez; and Dean of the Faculty Kevin McLaughlin P’12.

Locke opened by touting the plan’s mission to “establish a set of concrete, achievable actions to promote diversity and inclusion and confront issues of racism, power, privilege and inequity … on campus.” The plan includes four categories for targeted intervention — the campus community, investing in people, academic leadership and accountability.

The plan calls upon academic departments to take the lead in implementing changes, and the responsibility for enacting diversity promotion falls largely to them, Locke said. “Every department has to own this.”

Attending students identified a variety of areas they feel deserve more

attention.

Candice Ellis ’16 brought up issues of “fear and insecurity” about the plan and its recommended changes voiced by community members who do not belong to a minority group. She cited the presence of a “White Student Union” on campus that perpetrates a “harmful ideology.”

Almandrez stressed the need to identify regressive voices by naming problems of structural oppression for what they are and in turn recognize the “good work” done in response.

“We have to change the conversation,” she said. “People are at different places in their comfort. The challenge is not to cater to the lowest common denominator.”

A key component of addressing the “vulnerability of white students” is including all students in departmental conversations about increasing faculty diversity, Cariaga-Lo said. “We need you to be seen as empowered agents in those departments,” she told the » See FORUM, page 3

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

UNIVERSITY NEWS Students on financial aid struggle to pay for flights, housing on some study abroad programs

ARTS & CULTURE Bieber’s “Purpose” proves he is back in action, includes reflections on breakup with Selena Gomez

ARTS & CULTURE Outside his role as director of the Plant Environmental Center, Fred Jackson fronts reggae band

COMMENTARY Horowitz ’16: We should condemn Kobe Bryant for his offthe-court behaviors, not exalt him

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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

» LEAVES, from page 1 laws, she said, “It is rare to unheard of that the student has not been met with by a dean and been provided with the dean’s recommendations and concerns.

At the end of the day, it has to be the student that is being informed and is in agreement with the leave of absence.”

Dave also said he was not asked to sign any forms.

In response to such claims, Suarez said “there are cases that have extenuating circumstances” that she could not discuss.

“It is extremely rare that a student is required to take a leave of absence,” she said. “If they are so disruptive … that we feel that they can be a danger to our community, we take that into consideration.”

The University may ask whether the student is able to continue living in the same dorm with the same roommate.

Suarez said students sometimes come forward following a friend’s hospitalization and say the issues had forced them to “babysit” the student for weeks before the problem escalated.

OSL may refer students to Student and Employee Accessibility Services to provide them with accommodations before recommending that they take leave. SEAS may move students to housing in a quiet area or a single if they want to be removed from the “hectic nature of living in a dorm,” said Catherine Axe ’87, director of SEAS. SEAS may also approve students to receive accommodations such as extensions or quiet testing areas in order to alleviate academic anxiety, Axe said.

Several students said the accommodations from SEAS had been helpful, both before taking a leave and when returning from one. But Daniel Crowell ’16.5, who took a leave in 2012, said the accommodations from SEAS allowed him to put off taking a leave and that he later wished he had taken one sooner in order to save his grades.

What is lost Though most students interviewed

by The Herald said they did not feel forced into taking a leave of absence, several indicated that they did not fully understand what they would lose in taking one: for some, their academic credit; for others, tuition; and for many, both.

When Michelle Miller ’18.5 took a leave of absence late in her first semester, she still felt confident that she would be able to finish her coursework during her leave. Miller said Assistant Dean of Student Life Ashley Ferranti told her that students on leave had taken incompletes in the past. Miller was determined to do the same.

“Ferranti gave me the hope that I would not lose everything that I’d done that semester,” Miller said.

Yet, when finalizing her leave of absence with a different dean, she was told that despite receiving permission from three faculty members to take incompletes, she would not be able to do so or else she would be put on academic warning. Though she only needed to complete one final and a few labs, Miller’s transcript was wiped clean, and she was not able to get any refund on her tuition, she said.

Miller, who was readmitted this fall, now feels pressure to take on an increased course load so she can finish her requirements within eight semesters. “My parents are reaching their 60s.

They have to worry about retirement,”

she said. “A fifth year is not an option for me.”

The financial pressure has left Miller worried about the possibility of taking more time off in the event of an emergency. “If I have to go home again, I won’t be able to come back,” she said.

While the University provides a tuition insurance option, students interviewed said they had not considered purchasing it.

“No one anticipates they are going to take a leave of absence,” Crowell said.

To make up for the lost time at Brown, students can take classes at other universities while on leave, but these credits may not transfer over perfectly.

“I had several administrators fight for me,” said Lena Bohman ’18, who took a leave during the year between transferring from Boston University to Brown. In transitioning into Brown, she has found the OSL and SEAS to be a powerful agent on her side.

Lingering on leave Once on leave, Ramirez realized that she had time — lots of it.

Early on, she received intensive outpatient therapy three times per week from a local hospital. After that, Ramirez began using her time to focus more on personal growth.

She volunteered at a botanical garden. She interned with Greenpeace.

She took courses at City College of San Francisco. In the meantime, she also worked closely with a therapist with whom she had been connected through the hospital.

After one semester away, she applied to come back during the spring of what would have been her sophomore year.

She was denied.

The Office of Student Life’s website states that a medical leave is expected to last two full semesters, in addition to winter and summer breaks. To be readmitted, students must submit a personal statement and letters from a therapist and physician by Oct. 15 for readmission in January or by Feb. 1 for readmission in September, Suarez said. These dates were moved up this year in order to give students time to participate in the housing lottery or to enroll in summer courses.

A multi-disciplinary committee — comprising 12 to 14 members of offices such as CAPS, OSL, SEAS and the Office of the Dean of the College — come together to review the application materials, Suarez said.

CAPS looks “to see where the (health care) provider thinks the student is in terms of whether or not they are ready to return,” Nelson said, adding that the University looks for a period of “sustained stability.”

“We don’t want someone to come back to the University and then leave a month later,” Nelson said. “We want students to have gained insight into what happened during their medical leave.”

CAPS also wants to see that students have developed coping strategies, she added.

In recent years, the University has grown increasingly diligent in ensuring that students are ready to come back to Brown, given its history of readmitting students too soon, only to have them relapse.

Several years ago, Suarez decided to trust a few students who wrote her saying that they were ready and granted them readmission to Brown.

“That semester sticks in my mind,”

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD she said. “There were three to four students who said they were ready, and within two weeks, all of them were back in the hospital.”

“Our goal for all students is that they have the ability and degree of health to live autonomously,” Suarez said.

This may require students to reapply multiple times before the University greenlights their return.

After reapplying a second time — six months after her first attempt — Ramirez was readmitted. But during the summer prior to her return, she had a relapse. The University rescinded her admittance, and she was put back on leave.

After a semester of improved healing in which she took art classes and found a part-time job, Ramirez reapplied a third time. She was denied.

In a letter to Ramirez, Suarez wrote that Ramirez had not achieved a long enough period of “sustained stability.”

University rejection letters to students on medical leave list expectations the students must meet before they can reapply again, Suarez said. She added that students may appeal their denial if they feel that the University does not have enough information.

So Ramirez did just that. By attaching additional letters from herself, her therapist, an academic mentor and her sister, Ramirez was able to convince the University to grant her readmission.

Dave — who recently sent in his fifth readmittance application, this time for spring 2016 — has not had the same success. Again, he was denied.

In November, the University expelled Dave for enrolling as a degreeseeking student at another Ivy League college. A week earlier, he had been expelled from that same college for failing to list Brown among his previous education on the transfer student Common Application.

Dave said there were “only three spots for listing schools,” and he chose to put down Northwestern University, where he was a full-time, non-degreeseeking student, as well as the University of California at Berkeley, where he took classes part time, and Columbia, where he was enrolled prior to Brown.

Dave is currently living at home in the Bay Area, pursuing litigation against both Brown and the school he most recently attended. He filed a complaint against Brown with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights last May. The Department of Education declined to comment on specific cases.

Communication gaps Several students said a lack of communication from administrators and the opacity surrounding reapplication materials added to the difficulty of gaining readmittance.

“They forgot about me pretty much,” Bohman said. She said she tried calling the University four times to get in touch with Suarez, who did not return her calls, but was finally connected with a secretary who helped her find the necessary paperwork.

For students reapplying, time is of the essence. Paperwork must be obtained from a psychologist three or four weeks ahead of the readmittance deadline, Bohman said. Without a University reminder, she did not know when she was expected to start gathering the materials for her readmittance.

“There doesn’t need to be handholding,” she said. “It just needs to be

KATE TALERICO / HERALD

CAPS psychotherapist Linda Welsh leads the support group Back at Brown, which brings together students who have recently returned from leaves. clear.”

Other students, like Crowell, said the reapplication process went smoothly once he felt ready to return but said he wished the University had checked in more with him over the course of his leave.

Suarez said the University attempts to clarify the readmittance policy for students from the moment they leave campus. Students are given copies of the leave of absence forms, which note the readmittance deadlines at the bottom, as soon as they sign them, she added.

“This is a lot of information, and we understand that,” she said.

Historically, OSL also sends students a second copy straight to their home addresses. The forms are also available online.

In fall 2014, Student Support Services received the funding needed to hire a fourth associate or assistant dean, allowing the office to be fully staffed for the first time and finally able to start reaching out to students on leave at least once a semester, Suarez said.

Miller applied for readmittance last winter and was happy with the University’s improved communication. “They sent out emails about the deadline. They were good at informing me about what I needed to do in order to get back,” she said.

But some students said they want more than just a brief check-in. They also want advice about how to make the most of their leave.

“I wish I’d had more of a plan when I left,” Crowell said. “I didn’t know what I was doing. A lot of that time seems wasted.”

Readjusting upon return If reapplying was not turbulent enough, students may return to a Brown vastly different from the one they left.

Crowell’s medical leave lasted three years. In the time he had been gone, most of his friends had graduated. “It was a challenge coming back,” he said.

Other returning students encountered similar struggles. Ramirez, who was gone for three semesters, said she felt like her friendships changed drastically within that time.

No longer in the same class year as

Ramirez, many of her friends from her first year had stopped talking to her.

“I felt lonely to begin with,” Ramirez said. “It was a little bit harsh, feeling so alone.”

Determined to make the most of being back at Brown, Ramirez became a part of North House, a vegetarian coop. The house’s nightly group dinners helped her get to know new people quickly.

She also attended meetings of the Back at Brown group, led by Linda Welsh, a psychotherapist at CAPS. The support group unites people who are in their first and second semesters returning from leave in a conversation about coping strategies and their transitions back to campus, Welsh said.

Returning students must also balance their readjustment to a new social scene with the rigor of academics, she added.

Though Ramirez started out with a full course load during her first semester back, she later decided, with the help of SEAS, to drop from four classes to three.

Bohman, though, said she found it “easier to return to schoolwork than (she) expected.”

“It was like riding a bike — I hadn’t forgotten,” she said.

Still, students may be anxious about returning to Brown after leaving during an emotionally difficult time, Welsh said.

“I still had a little bit of resentment toward the administration, and that was always in the back of my mind,” Ramirez said.

Yet the University has a vested interest in making sure students are comfortable in their return. The OSL reaches out to students when they come back to talk to them about their transition.

Though some students were originally upset, and even confused, about their medical leaves, many found that the time allowed them to heal and practice self-care.

“Students may change what their goals are, academically or career-wise, after having been out for a few semesters,” Welsh said. “In coming back, they get to know themselves and the directions for their future a bit better.”

UNIVERSITY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» FACULTY, from page 1

MATTEO MOBILIO / HERALD

A panel of five administrators fielded students’ criticism and concerns regarding the University’s plan for diversity and inclusion Tuesday night.

» FORUM, from page 1 audience.

In response to a question about whether staff in all areas — including facilities management and Dining Services — would be given an opportunity to provide feedback on the plan, Locke said all staff are “encouraged” to raise concerns.

A few students immediately responded with criticism. “Let’s tell the truth here,” said Kobe Pereira ’19.

Only those staff members with Brown email addresses were made aware of that opportunity, said Justice Gaines ’16.

“We do have to recognize that people in facilities and dining don’t have easy access,” Cariaga-Lo said. “We have been in conversations with Human Resources to address this very issue.

This is work that we pledge to do.”

Verano called on Locke to alter his statement in light of Pereira’s comments regarding the alleged untruth of administrators’ statements. “The proper response would have been ‘thank you for telling me that’,” she said, meeting wide applause.

“Thank you, that was good feedback,” Locke responded.

The plan’s actions to reform the University’s existing mentoring programs were a target of critique.

Alexandra Sepolen ’16 voiced concerns about the way mentoring

» ACCESS, from page 8 but equal” philosophy of accommodation. “A person with physical disabilities would have just one or two options,” she said, instead of the many open to those without disabilities.

The entire city of Providence was ranked the worst city to live in for people with disabilities by a recent WalletHub report. The study considered a variety of metrics from accessibility to employment rates. “It’s a combination of Providence being such an old city and having such aggressive seasons,” said Ganley.

Sarah Skeels, teaching associate in behavioral and social sciences and instructor for PHP 1680I, uses a wheelchair. In response to the

programs were presented in the plan as “increasing quantity over quality.”

Belinda Zhou ’17 mentioned that Meiklejohn Peer Advisors were not acknowledged in the plan and that training for Meiklejohn advisors is insufficient to address issues of diversity. “I definitely didn’t feel supported by the leadership in terms of training for navigating difficult conversations,” she said.

“We have a tremendous amount of work to do” to improve the Meiklejohn program, Mandel responded.

International students, including Divya Mehta ’18 and Camila Ruiz Segovia ’18, expressed surprise that the plan did not address this group of students. “There is a perception that all international students are white, rich kids,” Segovia said.

“We’re merged into the category of people of color,” Mehta said. But, she added, “Brown isn’t need-blind for international students.”

Administrators acknowledged the disproportionate role of the Brown Center for Students of Color and independent student activists in educating the community about diversity.

The common mode of communication “should not be the oppressed educating the oppressor,” Almandrez said.

“We want to ensure that individuals who are doing independent work will be justly compensated,” Cariaga-Lo added.

WalletHub report, she said, “That’s why I don’t live there.” She explained that while Providence has tried to increase the accessibility of public spaces, efforts to improve existing accommodations have been met with indignant remarks like ‘What do they want now?’

Skeels said the city’s reluctance to embrace the needs of people with disabilities was rooted in a misunderstanding of the economics of the situation. “If you look at it in terms of economics, we would go and spend our money in restaurants and stores,” she said, highlighting potential economic gains that would result from investing in infrastructure. “The real question is: What does it cost to change your attitude?”

require small expansions, which will create co-curricular opportunities and improve living conditions for all those at Brown over winter break, she added.

Faculty members will need to obtain departmental permission to offer a Winter Session course, as teaching a course will count as a teaching requirement they would otherwise need to fulfill during the regular academic year, Mandel said.

At the end of the three-year trial period, the program will be evaluated for financial viability and student interest among other criteria. The goal is for the University to break even, with the hope but not the assumption that this will be the case, Mandel said. “My personal hope is that it will be good for students, good for faculty and not lose money for the University,” she added.

Paxson presented “Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion: An Action Plan for Brown University,” which is currently open to student and faculty feedback and will be the focus of a special faculty forum next week.

“It’s been a really rocky fall,” she said, adding that students across the country “are angry, they’re upset, they do not feel welcome at universities.” Some of Brown students’ grievances are global, but some are specific instances of discrimination and exclusion on campus, Paxson said. Though the plan responds to recent events, Paxson emphasized that it was not solely reactive in that it includes already implemented and previously developed ideas.

The plan aims for improvement in four areas: campus community, investments in people, academic leadership and accountability.

In conversations with individuals who were engaged in activism at Brown during the 1960s, Paxson was specifically asked how the plan would differ from past efforts, she said.

“When you look at earlier plans, they start with, ‘The President will do this.

The Provost will do this.’ It doesn’t say what the faculty will do,” Paxson said, adding that she believes the emphasis on faculty involvement will set the initiative apart and lay the foundation for real change.

One crucial aspect of faculty engagement comes through improved training, Paxson said. With an increasingly diverse student body, “to be better teachers, to be better advisors, we need to say: ‘What do we need to do differently?’” she said.

Professor of Physics James Valles voiced a concern that the plan still appears “very administratively driven,” leaving faculty members unable to ensure that students of all backgrounds can leave their class inspired and engaged.

Ken Miller ’70 P’02, professor of biology, said he felt one of the most important aspects of the report was the push to add more people of color to the faculty, adding that the sciences see a three-toone ratio of students from underrepresented backgrounds to faculty members from underrepresented backgrounds.

Professor of Neuroscience Samuel Greenblatt questioned how this would be accomplished. Mandel and Provost Richard Locke P’17 pointed to existing programs and those being developed to lead students of color in all fields toward PhDs. Each department will need to implement the plan according to its own academic needs, Paxson said, adding that departments will be reviewed but encouraged to be creative in order to avoid a top-down process.

Faculty members are looking for ways to best further inclusivity, but there still exists “discomfort with how we talk to each other about (issues of inclusivity) within our departments,” said Nancy Khalek, associate professor of religious studies.

Members of the University need to “get over the idea that diversity plans are adding sprinkles to ice cream,” when they are “reforming the nature of the ice cream itself,” she said, adding that

in order to do this, the administration needs to hold conversational trainings before the release of the campus climate survey this upcoming spring.

The Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, announced in September, will enter its planning stage following its unanimous approval at the meeting.

With only one medical school, one public health school, one children’s hospital and one women and infants’ hospital in Rhode Island, the Hassenfeld Institute represents an important opportunity to “train the next generation of child health leaders that will hopefully come from different departments,” a faculty member said.

Following the faculty’s unanimous vote, academic warnings will no longer stay on students’ external transcripts following a return to good academic standing. The previous policy was “out of line with other parts of the transcript” given that failures do not show up on external transcripts, and it stigmatized students who had shown the ability to work hard to regain standing, Mandel said. The new measure will retroactively remove academic warnings from transcripts dating back to 1983, the first year included in the database of transcript records.

The meeting concluded with a question from a faculty member regarding the fulfillment of Title IX faculty training and the alleged assault of a Dartmouth student by a Department of Public Safety officer. The training, mandatory for all faculty and staff members, is 77.2 percent complete, Paxson said, adding that those who have not completed it yet will be contacted shortly.

She said she could not comment on the ongoing investigation into the DPS officer involved in the incident, she said, but that she hopes the investigation will be completed by the end of the semester.

DPS keeps detailed statistics on stops and student engagements broken down by race and while the “numbers look good, clearly there’s something else going on,” Paxson said.

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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Students abroad manage financial challenges while paying home tuition Students, admins offer diverging narratives on study abroad options for students on financial aid

By AGNES CHAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Apart from selecting classes and an exotic location, some students studying abroad have to consider the financial burden of living in an unfamiliar country for a semester or year.

Brown’s study abroad financial policy aims to eliminate cost as a factor in students’ decisions on where to study. But the high costs of flights and housing that come with certain study-away programs make it difficult for students to choose their destinations based solely on the academic and social experience.

Since 2008, students studying abroad have been subject to the home school tuition policy, which requires them to pay Brown tuition regardless of the cost of the program. The Corporation implemented the policy change to make study abroad more “transparent,” according to the University’s website.

“We want to make certain that students are choosing courses based on which program best fits them academically,” said Kendall Brostuen, director of the Office of International Programs. “What we wanted to avoid was students choosing programs because they happened to be the cheapest programs.”

When a student studies abroad, the Office of Financial Aid uses the same method to calculate student aid packages as it does when the student is at Brown. A student’s family contribution does not change, but the financial aid awarded by the University may decrease if the cost of the non-tuition costs associated with the program are lower. The program’s cost is determined by summing tuition

fees with indirect expenses such as airfare, books and housing.

But financial aid does not increase if the program’s cost is greater than Brown’s. In this case, students are expected to seek additional loans or apply for outside scholarships. Some study abroad programs offer their own scholarships to help students pay for housing and flights.

“Since my program costs came out to more than a normal semester here at Brown, it would have been great if my aid had been adjusted accordingly,” said Crystal Avila ’16, who studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain.

Since Brown does not adjust aid to make up for higher program costs, Avila had to take out loans to pay for the difference, she added.

The implementation of the home tuition policy coincided with the creation of a new, expanded financial aid policy in 2008, said Jim Tilton, director of financial aid. Under the policy change, students whose families’ earn less than $100,000 per year no longer have loans as part of their financial aid packages, and students with family incomes less than $60,000 are not expected to contribute to the cost of tuition.

Both of these changes allowed more students on financial aid to study abroad, Tilton said. The number of students receiving financial aid who studied away increased by just over 7 percent from 168 in the academic year 2007-08 to 180 in 2014-15, he said. This increase occurred despite an overall decrease in students studying abroad, falling from 565 students in 2007-08 to 398 students last year.

Brostuen said that, in his experience, students have been able to study in the program of their choice regardless of the city’s cost of living.

Cities such as London, Stockholm and Tokyo have traditionally been among the more expensive cities in which to study abroad, he added.

“On the whole, Brown is very

ROLAND HIGH / HERALD

generous in terms of its financial aid policy in the sense that 100 percent of the scholarship aid” follows students abroad, he said.

But Avila said students do not always have the flexibility to go to the city of their choice. “I myself crossed Stockholm off my list of options after hearing how high living costs are there,” she said. “I’m sure some students are discouraged from some programs due to higher living or housing costs.”

Nora Hakizimana ’16 expressed frustration that she had to pay Brown tuition even though her program in Brussels was significantly cheaper than Brown. “It absolutely makes no sense,” she said, adding that she had hoped to use the difference in tuition to pay for other things like travel, but ended up having to search for outside scholarships for those funds.

“I studied abroad in Barcelona and the housing option was a lot

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more expensive than a normal semester here,” Avila said. “Admittedly, our living arrangements were a lot more luxurious than at Brown, but if given the option, I would have opted for cheaper accommodation.” Avila added that the euro was stronger than the dollar when she studied abroad, so buying clothes and eating out was also noticeably more expensive.

Mary Nguyen ’17, who will be part of next semester’s International Honors Program, which takes students to at least three different countries in one semester, also said unavoidable costs can be steep. “We get a week of spring break and whereas normally the cheaper option would be to just stay at Brown, they are not going to provide me housing for that one week,” she said. “I have to go out and make my own plans, which can turn out to be expensive.”

Amy Sit ’16, who was part of the IHP, said she ended up spending more

while abroad than she would have during a normal semester at Brown.

The airfare associated with IHP in particular increased the cost of going abroad significantly, she said.

Traveling outside of one’s program while abroad also increases the cost of studying away, Nguyen said.

The cost of studying abroad in Europe really depends on what you want to do while you are there, Hakizimana said, adding that one of her goals was to see as much of Europe as possible.

Hakizimana traveled to 23 cities with the help of scholarships from both the government and her study abroad program.

Nguyen said that despite the high cost of IHP, she ended up deciding on the program because she knew she could take out additional loans.

“I know for others, though, that wouldn’t be the case. … They might not have as much flexibility to do that,” she said.

ARTS & CULTURE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

There’s no need to say sorry for this album, Justin Bieber Beiber’s new album, ‘Purpose,’ showcases mature sound, explores past love, future endeavours

By JACLYN TORRES SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Dressed in true Justin Bieber fashion, the 21-year-old singer closed out the American Music Awards late last month clad in ripped jeans falling mid-thigh, a long white tee under a baggy beige sweatshirt, white Vans and a trucker hat. Bieber performed a never-beforeheard medley of his latest hit singles including “What Do You Mean?,” “Where Are Ü Now?” and “Sorry” from his newly released album, “Purpose.”

The performance epitomized Bieber’s image. He opened with an acoustic rendition of “What Do You Mean?”, singing soulfully accompanied only by his guitarist. Though Bieber danced minimally, the song immediately attracted viewers’ attention. Suddenly, he ran to the center stage where beams of light struck the floor in vertical lines and the opening of “Where Are Ü Now” played through the speakers.

Bieber sang the beginning of the song before throwing the microphone to his left. A team of dancers made a pyramid formation behind him, and together the group broke it down.

Bieber is clearly an incredible dancer due to Usher’s influence. He incorporated robotic, jolted moves and some pop, lock and drop it alternatives.

With the close of the captivating number, the music paused and rain poured down onto Bieber as he moved to a third section of the stage.

There he sang “Sorry” while kicking and splashing in the rain with the spirit of a 3-year-old. Beiber ended

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“Sorry” powerfully — on the final note he threw his head back and his fists into the air. His breakup with Selena Gomez was painful, and it was clear in that moment that he is still not over her.

Three years after the 2012 release of his last album, “Believe,” Bieber seems to be working to change his image and his target audience. As a teenager, he was known for the bangs that hung down to his eyebrows, his ill-fitting clothing style and his obsessive pre-teen fans nicknamed ‘Beliebers.’ With his new album, the hair is shorter with frosted tips, and the clothes still don’t fit right, but his music is sonically unique.

With an album consisting of primarily ballads and rap, his latest 18 songs contain nuanced emotion that comes only with personal experience and a greater knowledge of relationships. While “Believe” was played at middle school sleepovers, “Purpose” can be heard at playing at college house parties and blasting before collegiate athletic contests.

Some ‘Beliebers’ have grown up, but most listeners are new converts.

College students are no longer embarrassed to say they are ‘Beliebers,’ and that is a compliment to Bieber.

The musician has come a long way over the last three years. The maturation of Beiber’s sound between “Believe” and “Purpose” implies his growth as a person as well. Bieber has defined himself through his new music, and it speaks volumes about his character. Since its Nov. 13 release, the album has garnered great success, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart during the week of Nov. 19.

In the opening seconds of “Purpose,” Bieber sings, “Mark my words.

That’s all that I have.” He knows what the media has said about his past behavior. He knows his actions are not always seen. He recognizes that words are all people have to base him on.

Though only two short phrases, this

MATTEO MOBILIO / HERALD

Justin Bieber’s 18-song album “Purpose” was released Nov. 13 and has since reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart. “What Do You Mean?” and “Where Are Ü Now?” are two of the album’s most popular songs. opening line is powerful and sets up a well-developed playlist.

In the second song, titled “I’ll Show You,” Bieber explains that as a child celebrity, he has grown up in the spotlight — an incredibly difficult circumstance. While he is not asking fans to pardon his behavior, he asks them to sympathize and understand the position he has been put in. He sings, “My life is a movie and everyone’s watching. … It’s hard to do the right thing when the pressure’s coming down like lightning.” Not many people have had the talent and fame he acquired at such a young age.

After explaining that he wants to be a better person and that he is working toward that goal, Bieber heads into murkier waters, singing about his relationship with Selena Gomez.

“What Do You Mean?” is about where their relationship went wrong and how it came to its bitter end. After setting the scene, Bieber finally gets around to apologizing in “Sorry.” On the track,

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he repeatedly asks: “Is it too late now to say sorry?”

It’s definitely not too late, Justin.

There’s still time to fix things and get back together. Except — Gomez wrote the song “Same Old Love” in response to “Sorry” and makes it quite clear that the relationship caused her too much pain and that the wounds are too deep to be healed. According to the song, Bieber and Gomez will never get back together, no matter the number of apologies (sigh).

In the songs “Love Yourself,” “Company” and “No Pressure,” Bieber struggles to come to terms with the relationship being over and vacillates between saying he will wait for her and that he wants nothing to do with her.

But in “No Sense,” Bieber seems confused about everything. “The Feeling” questions his love for Selena ,and “Life Is Worth Living” is an ode to himself and a signal that he will be okay.

Then Bieber starts to get sad and sings “Where Are Ü Now?” While

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the song is upbeat, the lyrics are melancholy and a bit depressing. In the songs “Children” and “Purpose,” the 21-year-old singer starts to get serious about life, talking about his vision and how he can make a difference in the world. He reminds himself and his fans that he has greater plans for his future. In the final five songs of the album — “Been You,” “Get Used to It,” “We Are,” “Trust” and “All In It” — he sings about moving on from his first love and using the relationship as a learning experience.

The 18 songs are his best work so far. He packs overwhelming emotion and soul into his newest album.

Bieber is going on tour this spring and summer and will perform at the TD Garden in Boston May 10 and 11.

You are not going to want to miss this show. Who knows? Maybe Selena will even show up, and he will serenade her with “Sorry.” But one thing is certain: Bieber is back in action and better than ever.

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

“ If a student wants something, if I can accommodate them plant-wise, I’ll do it.” crossword

— Fred Jackson, director of the Plant and Environmental Center

See jackson on page 8. comic A Horse of Any Other Name | Zach Silberberg ’18

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Stop praising athletes with checkered pasts ADAM HOROWITZ opinions columnist

On Sunday, Nov. 29, Kobe Bryant announced that he would retire from the NBA at the end of this season. Now in his 20th season, Bryant has multiple Finals MVP awards, five championship rings, 17 All-Star selections and a place in the record books as the third-most prolific scorer in the history of the NBA. It seems to be a foregone conclusion that he will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible. So what?

As a society, we tend to fixate on professional sports. American sports leagues are part of a billiondollar industry that yields lucrative broadcasting deals and widespread national attention. Whether this is a problem that requires addressing is an issue in and of itself, but what I find even more concerning is how our society is unable to respond when a star athlete is accused of sexual assault.

On July 1, 2003, Kobe Bryant was on top of the world. He had won three championships in a row from 2000 to 2002 and made the last two All-NBA first teams. Bryant had flown to Colorado, where he was scheduled to have surgery the next

day, and engaged in sexual activities with a 19-year-old who worked at the hotel where he was staying.

The woman accused Bryant of raping her, and while Bryant admitted to participating in the encounter, he denied that it was non-consensual.

Let’s look at the facts. We know that Bryant’s attorneys tried to attack the accuser’s credibility by insisting that she was having sex with multiple partners. According to the Los Angeles Times, the defense team also claimed that the accuser “had a ‘scheme’ to have sex with

phasize that Bryant was not deemed innocent by a jury. The trial was dismissed because, without the testimony of the accuser, the prosecution did not have enough evidence to mount a case. If you stab someone with a knife and the police can’t find the knife, it doesn’t mean you didn’t do it. It just means that our legal system cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are actually a criminal. However, just because the actual courts have such a standard of proof doesn’t mean the court of public opinion should be

result of the incident. The endorsements picked up within two years of the incident, and Bryant won two more NBA titles and two Olympic gold medals while continuing to receive awards and praise from the league and its players. In the wake of the announcement that he is retiring, all that is mentioned are his accomplishments on the court. His actions outside of the arena have not been ignored.

The case of Larry Nance Jr. epitomizes the league’s view of Bryant. In 2012, Nance Jr. was playing college

As Brown students, it is our responsibility to take a stand by refusing to extol such athletes even though their resumes may be impressive.

Bryant and others to gain the attention of a former boyfriend.” We know that the accuser’s blood was found on Bryant’s shirt. We know that the criminal case was dismissed because the accuser eventually decided not to testify, and we know that the two sides reached an undisclosed settlement after the accuser filed a civil lawsuit. We know that Bryant, in a public apology, said, “I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.” But he also maintained, “I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual,” refusing to accept responsibility and admit guilt.

First of all, it is important to em-

the same way. When you combine this with the widely cited statistic that only 2 percent of rape accusations are fabricated, it seems unreasonable to assume that an allegation like the one against Bryant is false.

One would hope that the public and the media would take a similar stance.

So what happened? In the short term, Bryant did suffer a public relations hit and had multiple endorsers pull their support. But by the time the dust had settled and the court dates came to a close, the accusation was pretty much forgotten. Bryant changed his number and claimed he was a changed man as a

basketball at the University of Wyoming when he tweeted the following in anticipation of a game between Bryant’s Lakers and the Denver Nuggets: “Gee I sure hope Kobe can keep his hands to himself in Denver this time. #rapist.” Rather than standing by his tweet, Nance Jr. deleted it as soon as he was selected by the Lakers in the 2015 NBA Draft.

As it turns out, it was Nance Jr. who felt nervous and apologized to Bryant, and Nance Jr. also felt the need ask the Lakers’ fan base for forgiveness with an Instagram post.

In general, sports teams are quick to dismiss second-tier players who are accused of domestic crimes,

such as when the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs immediately cut rookie Justin Cox as soon as he was charged with domestic assault. But with more talented players, most teams are hesitant to take action. Quarterback Jameis Winston was accused of sexual assault while at Florida State, and while Winston was not charged due to lack of evidence, the civil suit will not even begin until May 2017. Did anyone care? Apparently not, because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Winston with the first overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, and he is in the running to win the Rookie of the Year Award.

Sexual assault is an urgent issue, especially on college campuses, so when Brown students discuss the accomplishments of athletes like Kobe Bryant without even mentioning his off-the-court behavior, it perpetuates rape culture. We need to do what professional sports leagues won’t and condemn these players. As Brown students it is our responsibility to take a stand by refusing to extol such athletes despite their impressive resumes. The next time someone asks me to talk about my favorite Kobe Bryant moment, I’ll do something he rarely does: pass.

Adam Horowitz ’16 can be reached at adam_horowitz@brown.edu.

ARTS & CULTURE THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2015

‘It’s the roots I’m interested in’: Fred Jackson talks plants, reggae music From ethnobotany to ska music, director of Plant Environmental Center lives with passion

By ISABELLE DOYLE STAFF WRITER

“If you have some kind of talent, do it. Whatever it is,” said Fred Jackson, wheeling around a high-backed chair in his greenhouse office on the top floor of the Building for Environmental Research and Teaching. “Get into it. You know what I mean?”

Jackson, for his part, is into everything. The director of the Plant Environmental Center and a teaching associate, Jackson is also working toward his PhD, focusing his research on the African plant Mondia whitei, all while serving as frontman, harmonica player and vocalist in his reggae band, Professor Roots — pun intended.

Jackson’s background is in horticulture — specifically, running large commercial greenhouses. He said he was “bitten by the ethnobotany bug” in Costa Rica in his early 40s, whereupon he traveled to Peru and began exploring medicinal plants. He has had steady work in greenhouses ever since.

When Brown sought a new greenhouse manager in 1992, Jackson was between teaching jobs, working in sales for a large seed company. Eager to re-enter the world of eduction, Jackson applied for the job and was “basically hired to whip this greenhouse into shape,” he said, adding, “I had a lot of good people to back me up. It’s always been a cooperative experience at Brown, whatever I’ve done.”

Teaching is an integral part of Jackson’s experience. “It’s all about students,” he said. “If anybody thinks anything else, they don’t belong here. If a student wants something, if I can accommodate them plant-wise, I’ll do it.”

While Jackson’s undergraduate

degree is in plant sciences, his master’s degree is in education, and he teaches two courses — BIOL 0190E: “Botanical Roots of Modern Medicine” and BIOL 0150C: “Methods for Extraction and Analyzing Secondary Metabolites of Medicinal Plants.”

Jackson said allowing all students — whether or not they are part of his classes — to engage with the plants as fully as possible is of utmost importance to him. “When students want to come in with their art classes, writing classes, I say yes,” Jackson said. “We’re Brown.

We’re part of the community.”

Jackson, whose father was a farmer in Indiana, never wanted a desk job. He needs to be hands-on, he explained, to work with things that are “real.” This is why he began exploring the plant sciences and why he taught himself harmonica in junior high, going on to play in coffee shops as part of the 60s folk scene. His inspirations were Bob Dylan, Howlin’ Wolf, Paul Butterfield, Muddy Waters and Charlie Musselwhite.

After a few years, Jackson started experimenting with acoustic harmonica folk music and amplified Chicago blues.

While living in Florida in the 70s, Jackson fell in love with ska and reggae. “I play the ‘Ska’-monica,” Jackson said, chuckling. “I kind of coined that.”

Jackson started a band with Geoffrey Greene, director of IT Support Services, and other faculty members and students who wanted to play music regularly in the early 90s. The band was originally called Psycads, inspired by the name of one of Jackson’s plants, the cycad, with a nod to the psychedelic culture surrounding their music. Last year, the band regrouped with new members and changed its name to Professor Roots.

“I tell my students, if you’re not having fun with what you’re doing, get out.

Get out, because you’re going to be miserable,” Jackson said.

As well as being his bandmate, Greene is one of Jackson’s best friends.

“He’s a cool cat,” Greene said, “When

COURTESY OF PROFESSOR ROOTS

Fred Jackson, director of the Plant Environmental Center, started the band Professor Roots — previously named Psycads — with Director of IT Support Services Geoffrey Greene and other faculty members and students. you play live with a reggae band, the my dissertation, and I thought, ‘Man, used plants for medicinal purposes, key is relaxing and enjoying each others’ that plant is interesting, and not a lot of and every culture has also used music,” talents.” Greene plays the keyboard and people know about it,’” Jackson said, “I Greene said. “It’s kind of neat that (Jackharmonica and sings. just selected one compound in the plant son’s) area of expertise — ethnobotany Jackson is “very inventive on that to see if I could make it stronger and do — is so connected to music in that way. harmonica, and he has great stage pres- my doctoral work without having to go They’re both fundamental parts of every ence,” Greene said. “He really gets a lot out in the field.” human culture. They’re both ultimately of hooting and hollering and dancing “I thought, ‘Let me bring the jungle how humans relate to each other.” from the audience.” While Greene said to me,’” he said.

While Greene cites Jackson’s inhe loves playing with Jackson, he is also Jackson’s goal is to increase Mondia’s ventiveness and creativity as his greatimpressed with what Jackson calls his sustainability using his knowledge of est strengths, Jackson is more invested “day job.” plant sciences. “Ethnobotany is gather- in determination. “You have to be the In addition to directing the green- ing from different” disciplines, he said, master of your own career. So I made it house, Jackson is working on complet- “Anthropology, biology, taxonomy. Well, happen,” Jackson said. ing his PhD in the Department of Mo- horticulture should be in there, too.”

“I don’t tolerate crybabies. You don’t lecular Pharmacology, Physiology and This October, Jackson traveled to the like something? Change it. You can make Biotechnology based on research he is International Ethnobotany Symposium it happen. In this world, I would say, on conducting on the African plant Mondia. in Naples, Italy, to give a poster presenta- the average, you can make things hapMondia, a flowering plant with woody, tion on his research. “There were all the pen,” he said. ginger-flavored roots and a vanilla scent, people who write the textbooks — ­ the Professor Roots plays every third is nearing endangerment in the wild and people you want to hang with,” Jackson Friday at the Parlour on North Main has historically been vital as a traditional said. “And I wanted to get feedback, to Street. “It’s a hobby, but when you get medicine for a variety of ailments, includ- see if my research is baloney, if it’s good up on stage, you’ve got to know what the ing indigestion, lack of appetite, stress, or bad or whatever, because I’m putting heck you’re doing. You’re having fun, but aches and erectile dysfunction. a different spin on ethnobotany. And I you’ve got to take it serious,” Jackson said.

Jackson first learned about Mon- got a lot of positive feedback.”

While Jackson loves music, he said dia after a student attempted to grow “My main objective is to promote his true passion lies in the greenhouse the plant in the greenhouse, but the more botany and plant research,” he and the career he worked for four deseeds were too old and didn’t grow. “I added. cades to build. After all, Jackson said, needed to come up with something for “Every culture across the world has “It’s the roots I’m interested in.”

‘Grading the Green’ assesses accessibility of campus buildings As part of final project, buildings receive letter grades on physical, audiovisual, mental accessibility

By KASTURI PANANJADY STAFF WRITER

“Grading the Green” is the third of four final projects for PHP 1680I: “Pathology to Power: Disability, Health and Community.” This article is the third in a series that covers students’ attempts to increase the visibility of disability on campus.

PATHOLOGY TO POWER Braving the pervasive chill of a rapidly darkening November afternoon, students from the course PHP 1680I: “Pathology to Power: Disability, Health and Community” put up posters ranking the accessibility of buildings on the Main Green as part of their final project called “Grading the Green” last Monday.

Stationed at a stall outside Sayles Hall, students shared rubrics and rationale for their grading of buildings based on physical, audio-visual and mental accessibility.

The criteria for “Grading the Green” were determined by means of a survey circulated among Brown students who identified as having physical, audio-visual or psychological disabilities, said Allyson Quick ’18, a coordinator of the event. The survey was distributed by Brown’s chapter of Active Minds and Student and Employee Accessibility Services, she said.

“There was no checklist or formal literature for audio-visual and mental grading,” Quick said. “We went off the responses we received.”

The survey had over 50 respondents, said Isabella Kres-Nash ’18, another coordinator.

Karla Ganley ’16, a facilitator of the event, said the group chose the Main Green for its high foot-traffic and variety of buildings, including residence halls, classrooms and administrative buildings.

Quick said that the main purpose of the event was to facilitate a “stronger push from the student population” with regard to University policies on disability.

Far from a 4.0 Accessing Sayles Hall in particular proved very difficult, Quick said.

Students were required to access a ramp from the back, where they were then confronted with trashcans and stacks of chairs, she said. Once inside, the students were unable to find the elevator. The building received a D, she added.

University Hall received a D overall as well. Coordinator Jamie Ramerez ’16 pointed out that while University Hall was clearly accessible from the outside, the President’s Office required students with disabilities to navigate an additional flight of stairs. “This limits their ability to voice their opinions,” he said.

In addition to the Main Green, students also ranked the accessibility of buildings housing essential campus services — Health Services, the Sharpe Refectory, and the Sciences Library, said Ganley.

“Staff at Health Services have no specific training for helping students with sensory impairments,” Quick said.

“Only the first floor is physically accessible,” Ganley added.

Health Services received a final grade of C overall.

Notoriously inaccessible, Wilson Hall, the subject of the upcoming and final project of this series, received the

lowest possible rating of F. Hope College, a sophomore residence hall, also received an F. Even if a student with a disability does not have to live in the building, “if your friend lives there, then accessibility is still an issue,” Kres-Nash said.

Quick added that accommodations such as ramps and elevators would also help all students living in Hope as many move instruments and boxes in and out of the building on a regular basis.

Ganley estimated that addressing the issues raised by the project would cost the University $500 per student.

“It’s not nearly as expensive as people think it is,” she said.

Campus culture Kres-Nash said that students with physical disabilities on campus do not always experience a strong sense of community. SEAS acts as a liaison between students and the administration and can only foster a space for students to join together and support peers with disabilities, she said.

Earlier this semester, Kres-Nash lead an Minority Peer Counselor workshop on disability titled “Society’s the Limit” in which students engaged critically with disability. While

the Third World Transition Program dealt with issues relating to ableism, Kres-Nash said she felt the subject was not given “due diligence” at the time.

Eliza Lanzillo ’16, president of Active Minds, said the organization was open to working with the results of the project to consider ways Brown’s campus could be improved with regard to mental health.

Kres-Nash said she hoped the results of the project would be used as a “point-of-entry” for introducing ableism into the conversation surrounding President Christina Paxson’s P’19 “Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion: An Action Plan for Brown University.” The plan, released as a working draft Nov. 19, did not deal explicitly with disability in its first iteration. But “these problems have tangible solutions,” Kres-Nash said.

Getting to the Green Students stationed at the stall outside Sayles also handed out copies of SEAS’s Campus Accessibilty Map, which features color-coded sidewalks and pathways based on obstructions and incline. Quick pointed to the accessibility of paths leading to the Main Green as evidence of a “separate » See ACCESS, page 3