Thursday, January 28, 2016

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016

VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 2

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U. to build temporary Brook St. parking lot Brown-India Initiative Preservation Buildings lost to parking lot construction looks to expand into center Providence Society against attempt by Five years after Brown’s Year of India, initiative strives to bolster research on South Asia

By SUVY QIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

After five years of exponential growth, the Brown-India Initiative is looking to expand its scope to include all of South Asia and become a formal research center, said Ashutosh Varshney, director of the Brown-India Initiative and professor of political science and international and public affairs.

“A center has a permanence about it.

Initiatives are temporary and experimental,” Varshney said. “Once we become a center, we can widen further.”

Provost Richard Locke P’17 solicited a proposal for the initiative to become a center when he served as director of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, where the initiative currently resides, Varshney said. If approved,

the new center will be “a Watson center, governed by Watson’s framework and larger priorities,” he added.

Looking to the future, Varshney hopes the center proposal will be approved later this semester so that a large conference to celebrate can be planned this fall.

“Everyone wholeheartedly supports” the initiative’s development into a center, said Rajeev Kadambi GS. The initiative grew out of Brown’s Year of India in the 2009-2010 academic year and formally launched two years later. Since then, its position within the Watson Institute has catalyzed its growth.

The Watson Institute has “given (the initiative) a larger institutional environment to grow and develop synergies” with other regional studies centers such as the China Initiative and Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, said Patrick Heller, member of the initiative’s steering committee and professor of sociology and international studies.

Varshney attributed the initiative’s » See BROWN-INDIA, page 2

University to increase parking options close to campus

By GWEN EVERETT SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Brown has secured a two-year permit from the Providence Zoning Board of Review to replace seven residential structures with a temporary commercial parking lot on Brook Street.

The University bought the seven buildings in July 2014, but could not begin working on the demolition until it presented its plan to a commission under the Providence Department of Planning and Development Jan. 19.

The decision to construct a parking lot was made in response to Thayer Street merchants’ requests for additional parking options, said Al Dahlberg, the director of state and community relations for the University. He explained that merchants support the plan because the lot’s close proximity to Thayer Street means it could accommodate potential shoppers.

But the University only plans to use

The University is planning to knock down seven buildings on Brook and Cushing Streets to make way for a new parking lot.

Buildings to be demolished

Machado

Pembroke Campus 315 Thayer

111 Brown

West House LAURA FELENSTEIN / HERALD

the land as a parking lot temporarily. In the long term, the University intends to use the space “to meet emerging residential or academic needs,” according to its master plan. But the plan does not specify what will replace the parking lot once the permit expires in two years.

“It is important to note that the city almost never thinks of surface level parking as the highest and best use (for a plot of land),” said Bonnie Nickerson, director of the Providence Department of Planning and Development. Once the permit elapses in 2017, the commission

under the Providence Department of Planning and Development expects Brown to present “a better sense of the long-term needs for the site,” she added.

But because of the University’s strong record of repurposing temporary lots, there exists “a level of faith in Brown’s long term plans,” she said.

Brown’s plan to demolish buildings in a national historical district has sparked some controversy. Though the buildings themselves do not hold historical significance, the Providence » See PARKING, page 3

Simmons portrait hung in Sayles Okoro ’16 selected for Zamora scholarship First African-American woman, one of five women represented in hall

Inspired by Nigerian roots, Okoro studies sex-, alcohol-related HIV risk factors

By JULIANNE CENTER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

By AILEEN SEO STAFF WRITER

A portrait of former President Ruth Simmons was installed in Sayles Hall over winter break, joining 35 other historic faces of benefactors, professors, chancellors and presidents on the walls.

The oil portrait by New York-based artist Steven Polson features Simmons in her brown and red academic robe, beefeater hat, gold chain and pendant.

The University’s tradition of collecting portraits of its notable leaders dates back almost two centuries, said Robert Emlen, the University curator.

Sayles Hall serves as a “visual history of Brown,” he added.

The portrait is not only significant because it is the first of an African American woman in Sayles Hall, but also because it features one of only five women and one of just three people of color honored with a portrait.

“We want to make sure that the room increasingly looks like the campus does,” Emlen said. “It doesn’t change what happened 250 years ago, but it’s nice to walk in there now and see » See SIMMONS, page 2

INSIDE

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

Former president Ruth Simmons will be the 37th person to have her portrait hung in Sayles Hall, but is the first woman and third person of color.

Uzo Okoro ’16 was awarded the Pedro Zamora Scholarship for undergraduates engaged in HIV-related work earlier this month.

Okoro, one of six students to receive the scholarship, was chosen for her influential achievements on and off campus, said John Cunningham, executive director of the National AIDS Memorial Grove, which reviews candidates for the scholarship.

“The connection and passion around the work that was being done was very clear, and her very good academic standing was also taken into account,” Cunningham said. “She has a clear desire to continue the work that has been done after her undergraduate work.”

Okoro’s Nigerian-American roots shaped her decision to pursue HIV research in Nigeria, home to the second-highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS, she said. A public health concentrator and Program in Liberal Medical Education student,

WEATHER

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE Molly Guy ’99 appeals to betrothed millennials with alternative dresses, instagram presence PAGE 4

Okoro researches the relationship among HIV/AIDS, risky sexual behaviors and alcohol.

“I really want to work on dismantling the stigma surrounding HIV in Nigeria to look at factors that people can control,” Okoro said.

On campus, Okoro is a coordinator for the Sexual Health Awareness Group, hosting workshops for fellow students about sexuality, pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention. Additionally, she has worked as a liaison between Health Services and the student body to advertise and destigmatize free HIV testing on campus.

The National AIDS Memorial Grove originally launched the scholarship program in 2009 as the “Youth Essay Scholarship Program” to support and recognize the next generation of young HIV/AIDS activists and leaders as they pursue their education and careers, according to the organization’s website.

The scholarship was rebranded two years ago following the death of educator and activist Pedro Zamora, who dedicated his life to reducing the stigma surrounding HIV and reinforcing prevention methods.

This year, a panel of leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS reviewed » See OKORO, page 3

NEWS U. receives funding to study addiction intervention amidst public health emergency

COMMENTARY Malik ’18: Taking time to relax, reflect important for physical, mental health

COMMENTARY Al-Sharq ’17: Lecture at Hillel to spread anti-Palestinian propaganda

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» BROWN-INDIA, from page 1 progress to both India and South Asia’s rising geopolitical importance and the “desire of higher education to respond to changing realities.” Former President Ruth Simmons’ belief in international studies as a key facet of modern education has also spurred growth, Varshney said.

Several sources said the initiative’s growth owes much to Varshney’s leadership.

“He brings this indefatigable energy and is always trying to invite various people who are making the new noises,” Kadambi said.

The “democratic way (the initiative) is run” is critical to its success, said Bhrigupati Singh, member of the steering committee and assistant professor of anthropology.

“Even if you’re a junior faculty member, your view counts as much as a senior faculty member’s,” he said.

The initiative has also developed partnerships with many institutions in India, such as the Janaagraha Centre

for Citizenship and Democracy, Kadambi said.

Singh underscored the reciprocal nature of these partnerships, noting that successful partnerships take the form of “a living relationship, not just a name and signature and handshake.”

The initiative has also broadened its disciplinary focus, expanding beyond the social sciences and into the humanities, Singh said.

The addition of faculty members such as Professor of Humanities and English Leela Gandhi has imbued the initiative with a more artistic side, leading to more events such as film screenings, art shows and exhibits, Varshney said.

This interdisciplinary mix of humanities and social science specialists is one of the initiative’s distinctive characteristics, Singh said. “What makes (the initiative) different from other South Asia- or India-related centers is synergies between humanities and social sciences.”

In addition, three new faculty hires within the past year have infused the initiative with fresh energy, Kadambi said.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD As the initiative’s renown in the American academic community has grown, it has also caught the attention of scholars and leaders abroad.

The initiative has “been active in hosting some of the interesting voices of contemporary India,” Singh said.

Recent notable visitors have included Nirupama Rao, former Indian ambassador to the United States, William Dalrymple, a leading historian and public intellectual and Jairam Ramesh, Cabinet Minister in Delhi.

“Coming from India, I get the kind of access at Brown to these speakers that I wouldn’t get anywhere else, even in India,” Kadambi said.

Heller hopes the initiative will continue to attract more faculty members, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

“We’ve gone from no presence to being one of the most visible centers that focuses on India in the United States,” Heller said.

“We were given a five-year life, and we are looking forward to our next incarnation,” Varshney said.

Science & Research Roundup

BY AGNES CHAN, NEWS EDITOR

Power of thumb-sized chameleons

The smaller the chameleon, the more powerful its tongue, wrote Christopher Anderson, postdoctoral research associate in ecology and evolutionary biology, in the journal Scientific Reports, according to a University press release.

While all chameleon species have impressively powerful tongues, smaller chameleons launch theirs to catch insects faster and farther relative to their body sizes. Anderson reported that the power and acceleration chameleons produce for each kilogram of muscle mass is the second greatest among all vertebrates, second only to salamanders.

Anderson explained in his report that because smaller animals need to consume more energy for survival, they have evolved over time to be better than larger animals at catching food.

Professor honored for advancements in artificial intelligence

Stefanie Tellex, assistant professor of computer science and engineering, was recently named in Wired UK’s list of “Women Who Changed Science in 2015.”

Tellex designed Baxter, a robot that can find its way around unfamiliar places and pick up objects. Baxter can also teach other robots with the same infrared sensors and cameras to perform certain tasks.

According to the Wired article, Tellex strives to make robots more autonomous and collaborative. Her goal is to create a robot similar to a human child that learns through previous experience and adapts to new knowledge efficiently.

New software monitors nuclear explosions worldwide

Professor of Computer Science Erik Sudderth was part of a team that developed a network — the International Monitoring System — that detects nuclear explosions across the world, according to a University press release.

When a nuclear test occurs, it is picked up by one of the IMS’s 149 seismic monitoring stations. Data is then sent to the Vienna headquarters of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

Earlier this month, North Korea conducted a nuclear blast that was detected by the system. But the software can also locate much smaller activity in unexpected places. While most of the seismic activities detected by the network are natural disasters such as earthquakes, the system’s main utility is its ability to locate unnatural nuclear explosions around the globe.

» SIMMONS, from page 1 greater diversity on the walls because it tells us also what Brown is about nowadays.”

“White men have constituted the presidency and former chancellors of the university, with a few exceptions,” said David Kertzer ’69 P’95 P’98, professor of social science, anthropology and Italian Studies and former provost during the last five years of Simmons’ presidency. “The strong image of Ruth Simmons will show how far Brown has come and how Brown has changed over the years,” he added.

Simmons was “a force of nature” and her tenure was characterized by key structural growth, Kertzer said. Highlights of her fundraising campaign, “Boldly Brown,” include expanding the faculty by 100 members and initiating major building projects such as the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, Nelson Fitness Center, Metcalf Laboratories and the first medical building in the Jewelry District.

Still, Simmons’ agenda “wasn’t just adding faculty and facilities, but paying very serious attention to strengthening the quality of the university,” Kertzer said.

The Corporation began discussions about adding a portrait of Simmons to the University’s collection of 317 when she stepped down from the presidency in 2012. By the end of 2014, Emlen had sent Simmons portfolios of artists to consider for the commission. Simmons selected Polson as the artist and met with him to discuss the painting in the spring of 2015.

Polson then took a series of photographs of Simmons in her robe and cap and began the two-month long process of painting her. Together, Simmons and Polson decided the portrait would be “graphically stronger in its simplicity” with a plain background and would be more dignified without a smile, Polson said.

Simmons decided to wear the academic garb in the portrait to show her serious commitment to the University’s traditions, Polson said. Polson crafted the portrait with the help of several photos, preferring to paint without the use of a computer to digitally create the colors he envisioned, he said.

President Christina Paxson P’19 announced in a Jan. 20 press release that she will host Simmons at a reception during her next campus visit to recognize the installation of her portrait.

NEWS

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» PARKING, from page 1 Preservation Society opposes the project because it doesn’t see “surface parking as an added amenity to the city”, given that the parking lot holds little potential to better the “public psyche,” said Brent

» OKORO, from page 1 400 scholarship applications. In their assessment, the panel members considered a personal statement touching on the applicant’s community engagement experience, a letter of recommendation, an academic transcript and a list of extracurricular activities, Cunningham said.

Runyon, executive director of the Providence Preservation Society.

Runyon added that he has seen “a lot of outrage on Facebook” regarding the parking lot’s construction. “I don’t think (the University) acquired the property knowing what they’d put there” in the Next year, Okoro will attend the Alpert Medical School, where she hopes to build on her undergraduate research and broaden her geographic focus, investigating the risk factors for HIV among Caribbean women.

“There’s still a lot of research that needs to be done,” Okoro said. “I encourage others to step up, as it is a great learning process.”

ELI WHITE / HERALD

Uzo Okoro ’16 was one of six students awarded the Pedro Zamora Scholarship for undergraduates engaged in HIV-related work.

long term, he said.

While surface parking is not the best use for the plot of land, the Brook Street structures are dilapidated, said Stephen Maiorisi, vice president of facilities management. “It would be more responsible to take them down now”

than to leave them as a safety hazard, he added.

Maiorisi said he has not sensed a lot of controversy over the parking lot.

If a private citizen were taking on the same project, it would not be a matter of public discourse at all because a

private developer “wouldn’t need approvals like we do,” he said. Far from being able to carry out its own plans independently, Brown coordinated the details of the parking lot with the Providence Department of Planning and Development, he said.

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Alum’s Stone Fox Bride offers fresh take on bridal experience

Molly Guy ’99, founder of wedding boutique Stone Fox Bride, talks rebellious past, counterculture

By REBECCA ELLIS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Molly Guy ’99 is making weddings cool.

In 2011, Guy founded Stone Fox Bride, a bridal boutique that has become the go-to spot for betrothed millennials. The boutique is hailed as the “current wedding-wear darling of the jammin’ and Instagrammin’ set” by the New York Times.

Guy said she created Stone Fox Bride because she saw a gap in the

market between swollen taffeta gowns and less formal wear. She astutely anticipated that New York would embrace a shop catering to the “it girl” with a ring on her finger.

“I was disheartened by my career path, and then I got engaged and got married, and I saw that there was a void,” she said.

Guy left her job at a beauty company and set out to create an alternative wedding experience where the bride could ditch the stuffy tradition and instead strut down the aisle in sheer lace and a plunging neckline.

By now, Guy has sold hundreds of these dresses to women ranging in age from 22 to 45 — women whom Guy describes as having “their fingers

on the pulse of fashion and culture and are pretty cynical about all things mainstream.”

With an unofficial motto of “fuckweddings,” Guy caters to these counterculture brides-to-be by stocking her shop with flowing frocks and vintage slips. The only semblance of traditional wedding dresses is their off-white color.

And what better models to show off these anti-wedding wedding dresses to millenials then the cast of HBO’s “Girls”? Jemima Kirke, who plays the character Jessa, and Zosia Mamet, who plays Shoshanna, have both modeled for Stone Fox Bride in the past, while Allison Williams wore one of the shop’s layered silk gowns as her character

REBECCA ELLIS / HERALD

Molly Guy’s ’99 vintage gowns hang in her downtown boutique, which caters to New Yorkers looking for untraditional wedding dresses.

Marnie in the show. Guy still remembers Williams arriving at her apartment three days after she had her baby for a fitting.

To go with the custom-made dresses, the boutique offers fresh-flower crowns and curated vintage and madeto-order veils. Guy also offers a concierge service to arrange appointments with trainers, nutritionists, financial counselors and even sex therapists.

Beyond the boutique, Guy has made a name for herself as a writer, staying true to her Brown degree in creative nonfiction. She has a wedding column on Vogue.com and a book coming out next year. But her writing on Instagram has also brought her marked success, winning her over

116,000 followers on her Stone Fox Bride account.

Though Brown prepared Guy for a life of writing and killer Instagram captions, it did little to prepare her for the world of fashion. The only Brownbased experience she cited was thrifting at Savers Thrift Store and taking one leather-clad walk down the runway in 1995 for the Rhode Island School of Design’s fashion show.

Though Guy attended Brown over 15 years ago, she experienced the same fear of what the world outside of College Hill would hold. “I was so frightened. I still four or five times a week have a nightmare that I’m graduating. … and I’m still as terrified as I was in 1999.”

Hulin ’00 brings novel to Instagram Hulin ’00 converts manuscript to Instagram novel by pairing text excerpts with photographs

By JENNIFER SHOOK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

An Instagram feed tells a variety of stories — the story of a friend’s family vacation to Martha’s Vineyard, the story of a distant acquaintance’s night out in New York, the story of a celebrity’s walk down the red carpet. For users following the account @heyharryheymatilda, Instagram also tells the fictional story of two twins in their 30s dealing with the vicissitudes of love and life.

“Hey Harry Hey Matilda” is an “Instagram novel” and Rachel Hulin’s ’00 newest project. The epistolary novel follows twins Harry and Matilda and their almost-daily email correspondences through the struggles of relationships and adulthood.

Published about three times per week, the Instagram posts each include a snippet of these correspondences and a photograph. While some of the ties between the writing and photos are obvious, others are symbolic, Hulin said. Some images relate to the writing based on a “feeling” that both pieces share.

Hulin said it was her interest in social media that led her to try out Instagram as a publication format for her already-finished manuscript for “Hey Harry Hey Matilda.”

“I just realized that people were reading and looking at imagery so much in tiny parcels on Instagram,” she said. “It worked very well for me since I had already been shooting images that related to the book.”

Hulin decided to segment her finished manuscript into separate Instagram posts and, using her background as a photographer and photo editor, pair them with images.

The format of an Instagram novel allowed Hulin to start connecting with people interested in her work, she said. Since her previous novel had been a children’s book, Hulin felt it was important that she find readers interested in “Hey Harry Hey Matilda” as an adult novel. “I thought (an Instagram novel) would be a great way to introduce people to the characters,” she said.

Hulin thought people would relate to characters introduced to them on Instagram differently than those from a more traditional novel and that the more casual tone of the Instagram novel mixed in with the regular feed would allow readers to see Harry and Matilda posts “almost like they’re viewing friends,” she said.

The more personal connection created between Hulin’s characters and the novel’s readers aided by the Instagram format has led many readers to reach out with letters and emails addressed to Harry and Matilda. “Being able to take two characters from a book and allow people to feel like they know them was my goal,” Hulin said.

While Hulin isn’t sure what her next project will be, she said she would be interested in using another social media platform to engage with readers.

“I love using media of any kind to introduce people to projects,” she added.

Still, Hulin’s interest in new media has not led her to eschew traditional publication formats. “Hey Harry Hey Matilda” will be published through Doubleday, a publishing company, next year.

TODAY

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

menu

not so frost y

SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Nacho Pizza, Spicy Five Cheese and Garlic, BBQ Bam Bam

JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Quesadillas

Chicken Artichoke Florentine Madras Chicken Curry

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Grilled Chicken Alfredo Sandwich, Falafel, Broccoli Rabe, Frosted Brownies

Chicken Florentine, Italian Beef Noodle Casserole, 3 Bean Lasagna, Yellow Cake

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Corn Chowder with Bacon and Potato, BBQ Beef Sandwich, Frosted Brownies

Shepherd’s Pie, Creamy Parmesan Primavera, Hearth Bread

sudoku

ELI WHITE / HERALD

Green grass and clear skies have taken over the Main Green despite noble attempts by some students to keep the spirit of winter alive. Wednesday’s mid-40s high helped erase much of the snow remaining on campus.

comic P-Branes and Bosons | Ricky Oliver ’17 RELEASE DATE– Thursday, January 28, 2016

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich ACROSS 1 Takes shape 6 Military installations 11 Armonk, N.Y.based tech company 14 Quarterback with the 2011 autobiography “Through My Eyes” 15 Tell’s target 16 PBS funder 17 Downpour 19 40-yr.-old NBC show 20 Mature insect 21 Singer Vannelli 22 Fairy tale word 25 Weasel relative 29 Horned Frogs’ sch.

30 Spot 31 Forward, in a way 32 Ankle bones 34 Put up 35 1980 sci-fi thriller, and a hint to this puzzle’s circles 40 Sister of Clio 41 Drive respondent 43 It’s usually taken in twos 46 Rival 48 Reason for adolescent angst 49 1988 Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner 51 Only 52 Mythical arrow shooter 53 Key 55 2014 FIFA World Cup champion: Abbr.

56 Christmas, for many 62 “Wheel of Fortune” buy 63 “__ Grows in Brooklyn” 64 Carrot family herb 65 __ jacket 66 About 17 of them equal a United States dollar 67 Toyota’s luxury division

DOWN 1 Former Ford model 2 Poetic preposition 3 Japanese sash 4 Tinseltown vehicle 5 Show off a butterfly, perhaps 6 Snack sack 7 Grilling garment 8 Place to kick back 9 Whitney, by birth and by education 10 D.C. VIP 11 As found 12 “Pride and Prejudice” family name 13 NBA great Karl 18 Scruff 21 Underground chamber 22 Polo Grounds slugger 23 Univ. sports organizer 24 Circular lock 26 Drops the ball 27 Track competition 28 Penny __ 30 “The Treasure of the __ Madre”: Bogart classic 33 Beer orders

34 Tokyo, long ago 36 Vice squad tactic 37 Peak south of Stromboli 38 Automaker Ferrari 39 Get dirty 42 Map abbr.

43 Generation-togeneration span 44 Calm 45 Illinois county or its seat 46 Drops a line

47 European capital 50 Tape, maybe 51 “Goosebumps” series author 54 Ben Gurion carrier 56 Drivel 57 Emptied the feedbag 58 Govt. collection agency 59 Twice cinq 60 Pac-12 sch.

61 “Of course”

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CLAB 0010: Unpacking Career Lab 6:00 P.M. CareerLAB

MLK Remembrance Forum 4:30 P.M. Smith-Buonanno 201

Open Meeting for Brown Christian Fellowship 7:00 P.M. Wilson 101

Jewish Journeys: A Conversation 7:30 P.M. Salomon 101

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Wellness at Brown!: Relaxation Sampler 12:00 P.M. Advancement Office

Cognition Seminar Series 3:00 P.M. Metcalf Research Building 305

Mad Decent Zete Party 10:00 P.M. Marcy House: Wriston Quad

Exhibition: Dead Animals 11:00 A.M. List Art Center

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORIAL

A perspective on shopping period Shopping period is one aspect of Brown’s liberal arts model that can feel like both a blessing and a curse. While shopping gives us the option to sample many different classes and commit to schedules from an informed perspective, it can also be intimidating. Professors begin assigning work immediately; for students with 12 courses in their carts, it can be hard to keep up with all the work and decide which classes to prioritize until selecting the ones they will ultimately take.

As students reunite after break and small talk inevitably turns to shopping and course loads, listening to friends who already know exactly which four classes they are going to take, or friends who are sampling a well-rounded many can make us feel as though we are somehow doing shopping “wrong.” The good news is — as no two students are alike — there is no one-size-fits-all approach to shopping and therefore no “wrong” way to do it.

Many students feel pressure to fully “take advantage of ” Brown’s unique New Curriculum and other qualities that it shares with a select number of liberal arts schools, including shopping period. Shopping period is, after all, one of Brown’s most touted attributes during tours and information sessions. Being able to attend classes for the first few weeks without committing to them allows students to end up with a schedule full of classes with professors and course materials they find engaging. Reading the Critical Review can only go so far in giving students an impression of how courses will actually be. As each student will respond to different professors and courses differently, the only way to really know if a class is a good fit is to sample it.

But just because shopping constitutes an opportunity that some students find helpful does not mean that others should feel pressure to pad their carts with extra classes if they feel stressed rather than excited by the prospect of attending all of them. Students who feel envious of their friends at other colleges who know their schedules and can begin buying textbooks before the semester even starts should go ahead and select four or five classes and treat the first day of shopping period like it is the first day of classes at any other university. Committing to classes without trying them first is a gamble, but for students who crave stability and security in their schedules from the first day of the semester it can be worth it.

Shopping period is a great resource for students who want to take advantage of it, but it should not be a source of stress for anyone. It is meant to help students build schedules that excite us and help us find passion in our learning. When it becomes a source of stress, it fails to do that. It is up to each student to decide whether shopping classes helps or hinders her efforts to construct an ideal schedule and act accordingly.

Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editors, Emma Axelrod ’18 and Emma Jerzyk ’17, and its members, Eben Blake ’17, Aranshi Kumar ’16.5 and Leeron Lempel ’19. Send comments to editorials@ browndailyherald.com.

I VA N A L C A N TA R A ’ 1 6

CORRECTION Due to an editing error, an article in Wednesday’s Herald (“Resident ‘genius’ Littman empowers taxpayers in commercial,” Jan. 27) noted in the summary deck that the ad would be played during the Super Bowl. In fact, it was played during the NFL playoffs. It also said that it could reach 100 million viewers, when in fact it reached millions. The Herald regrets the errors.

CORRECTION An article in Wednesday’s Herald (“New year brings changes to Thayer’s restaurant scene,” Jan. 27) referred to Min Cheung, owner of Den Den, as female. In fact, Min Cheung is male. The Herald regrets the error.

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

“The strong image of Ruth Simmons will show how far Brown has come and how Brown has changed over the

”

years.

—David Kertzer, professor of social sciences

See SIMMONS on page 1.

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COMMENTARY THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

A Call to Action: Protest the Douglas/Sharansky Lecture HURIAT AL-SHARQ

op-ed contributor

Today Jan. 28, Michael Douglas and Natan Sharansky will be coming to Brown for a lecture devoted to spreading “hasbara” (propaganda) on college campuses. Brown will be the first stop on a three-part tour. We as activists committed to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement write in opposition to this lecture on the following grounds: I. The Jewish Agency for Israel will be funding the lecture as part of a massive push made by the Israeli government to conflate pro-Palestinian activism with anti-Semitism.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose own government will be funding this event, has said this time and time again: “Those who wear the BDS label should be treated exactly as we treat any anti-Semite or bigot. They should be exposed and condemned.” It is immoral to smear social justice activists with claims of anti-Semitism, and this is a strategic tactic used to delegitimize BDS and turn attention away from Israel’s apartheid regime.

II. The Jewish Agency for Israel has been the primary vehicle for colonizing the land of Palestine for the last century. It has been involved with land expropriation and massive settler immigration as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign intended to clear the land of Palestinians. It is the same group that funds Birthright programs and Israel En-

vidual donors pledged another $200 million to start a campaign to label BDS activists as anti-Semites.

III. Natan Sharansky is wellknown in Israel for campaigning against the rights of African refugees. He has been relentless in refusing to allow them to settle in Israel, saying to the Times of Israel, “we cannot automatically give ev-

ti-African racism is being lauded on this campus.

IV. This is an affront to academic freedom: Brown students should not be exposed to propaganda campaigns executed by state powers, especially colonial state powers. Further, so long as the Brown/RISD Hillel continues to abide by the Israel Guidelines for Campus Israel

We invite all people of conscience, pro-Palestine supporters and defenders of academic freedom to join us outside Salomon today at 7 p.m. for a rally in order to speak out against this justification of Israeli crimes and infringement of the Israeli government upon our campus.

gagement Fellows like those at the Brown/RISD Hillel.

In 2013, the Jewish Agency for Israel released a report stating that its efforts to combat BDS had failed, and thus they laid out a plan to fight the movement like never before. The Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration pledged $100 million and indi-

erybody the status of a refugee and treat them as political refugees because really there could then be millions of these.” It has also been discovered that he stole aid funds pledged to African refugee settlement and put the money towards the Jewish Fund for Israel. It is a disgrace that such a bigot with an ugly track record of anti-Palestinian, an-

Activities, set by Hillel International, which forbids criticism of Israel, it stands in direct violation of academic freedom. Brown/RISD Hillel has refused to become an “Open” Hillel, which means that American Jews are still not allowed to speak freely regarding Israel within Hillel. So long as it accepts money from the Netanyahu government to put on lectures

and abide by the Hillel International Israel guidelines, Brown/RISD Hillel is directly in violation of academic freedom.

V. The idea of bringing Michael Douglas is part of what the Israeli government has laid out as its Brand Israel campaign, a campaign designed to put the spotlight upon Israel’s cultural capital, rather than on its violent repressive policies. As Wayne Firestone, executive vice president of Hillel said about the campaign, it is intended to portray Israel as a place where “there are cool, hip people.” We object to this blatant whitewashing, and Natan Sharansky, one of the speakers and the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel has been quoted as saying that college campuses are a focus of this Brand Israel campaign.

In light of this, we invite all people of conscience, pro-Palestine supporters and defenders of academic freedom to join us outside Salomon today at 7 p.m. for a rally in order to speak out against this justification of Israeli crimes and infringement of the Israeli government upon our campus.

Huriat Al-Sharq ’17 is writing on behalf of Students for Justice in Palestine. SJP can be contacted at brownusjp@gmail.com.

An actual break AMEER MALIK

staff columnist

I feel guilty admitting this now, but last semester, when I learned that my parents were planning a trip during the first two weeks of winter break to visit relatives, I had mixed feelings.

Yes, I really wanted to see my aunts, uncles and cousins, especially because I feel close to them but don’t get to see them often. Yet a part of me felt I should have been spending the break doing all of the important tasks I didn’t have time for during the semester, such as searching for potential jobs and internships. I usually feel the urge to keep doing work and being productive; taking it easy for too long feels strange. I’m sure several of my peers at Brown have similar feelings.

But now that break is over, I’m thankful for that trip. I needed it. I have come to realize that, for those of us who are able to take time off from work and studies, it’s important to reserve the period from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day for reconnecting with our loved ones and finding opportunities to relax.

All of our relationships need attention; if we do not actively maintain them, they will wither and decay. There are people from

whom we’ve grown apart because we did not put in the necessary effort to stay connected.

Familial relationships are no different. I even worry they are at greater risk of fading away than other relationships because we sometimes overlook the people closest to us.

For many of us, the first weeks of winter break offer the ideal opportunity to spend time with loved ones because they include two holi-

for three weeks in January, according to a Herald article. This means that the period from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day will be left free; it appears that administrators understand the importance of that time.

Spending time with loved ones during the holidays can also elicit positive psychological effects. People spending time with their families tend to feel more nostalgic and thus per-

It’s important to reserve the period from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day for reconnecting with our loved ones, such as our families, and finding opportunities to relax.

days — Christmas and New Year’s — that are associated with family activities. Thanksgiving recess also offers many students time for family get-togethers, but that break is quite short.

By contrast, the other two major breaks in the academic calendar, spring break and summer vacation, carry different associations.

The best time to devote our attention to our loved ones is the winter holiday season.

And even though the University is planning to hold a Winter Session, the session is planned

ceive their lives as meaningful — a perception that can in turn lead them to feel “psychologically healthy, energetic, optimistic and have a lower risk for mental health problems,” according to a study conducted by Clay Routledge, associate professor of psychology at North Dakota State University.

In addition to focusing on our loved ones, the beginning of winter vacation can allow us to focus on ourselves. Though the temptation to jump into the pile of work left over from

the previous semester can be strong, we cannot push ourselves so hard that we undermine our health. Here’s an illustrative personal example: After my last class before Thanksgiving Recess last semester, I wanted to check off items on my to-do list but couldn’t because I hadn’t been taking care of myself and ended up lying in bed, contending with a nasty headache. Taking it easy is necessary — I learned that lesson the unpleasant way. Furthermore, according to UW CareLink, a program at the University of Washington, rest “rejuvenates your body and mind, regulates your mood and is linked to learning and memory function.”

Their tip sheet doesn’t advise lying in bed all day, and I would not suggest that either. But even if we must work over break, we should at least avoid doing so much that we get overwhelmed.

I once thought vacations during the academic year were meant for playing catch-up on assignments. Now, I’ve realized that they are for actual, restorative breaks. I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with my family. Winter break is five weeks long and offers a chance to work, but we can all use the first couple weeks to be with the people we care about and to look after ourselves.

Ameer Malik ’18 can be reached at ameer_malik@brown.edu.

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NEWS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016

University lands funding for training in addiction screening Grants to enable University, RIH to target substance abuse issues ‘upstream’

By RACHEL GOLD SENIOR STAFF WRITER

With opioid and other substance abuses creating public health emergencies state- and nation-wide, the University and Rhode Island Hospital have received grants from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to develop and implement curricula in early substance abuse interventions, said Paul George, associate professor of family medicine.

The grants of $916,851 to the University and $788,403 to RIH will be used to teach a model known as SBIRT — screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment — to medical students at the Alpert Medical School and residents at the hospital.

“This initiative is about training the next generation’s workforce of health and behavioral health providers to address substance use more upstream in terms of early intervention,” said Joe Hyde, the technical expert lead for JBS International, a consulting firm that guides SAMHSA’s SBIRT initiatives.

The SBIRT model is in line with a

national shift towards early intervention against substance abuse. “It makes no sense from a financial or humanitarian perspective to wait until horrible things happen before intervening,” Hyde added.

While treatments for alcohol and tobacco use are currently well-integrated in medical school curricula, students do not receive as much education about pain treatment, where opioid use can escalate into misuse, George said.

Rhode Island is known to have one of the highest per capita overdose rates in the country. In August, the Providence Journal reported that overdose deaths in Rhode Island had risen 73 percent since 2010.

“It’s important to realize that this data is just the apex of the pyramid,” said Michael Mello, professor of emergency medicine and director of the injury prevention center at RIH. “For every death, there are several more overdoses that come to the emergency room or get resuscitated by EMS in the field — ­ many more that have substance use problems — so it’s really just the top of the pyramid that’s most visible.”

Any college, university or residency program in the United States was eligible to apply for the grants, and the administration received hundreds of applications, Hyde said. The University and RIH were two of the 59 applicants that were awarded the grants, he added. Brown and

RIH applied for the grants separately but are working together closely to develop the curriculum.

The grants will enable the University to incorporate SBIRT into its medical curriculum starting at the end of January.

First-, second- and third- year medical school students will learn how to screen patients for substance abuse or misuse through conversations about the patients’ habits. They will then put these skills into practice at medical centers and hospitals across Rhode Island, George said.

“We are asking each student to do five screenings in the first year, five in the second year and 10 at a minimum the third year. But we think they’ll do much more than that,” he said.

The fourth year of the SBIRT curriculum is taught at the RIH, where students undergo emergency medicine clinical training During the three years for which the grant provides funding, George estimates that approximately 30,000 Rhode Island residents will be screened.

The grant will also provide training for pharmacy students at the University of Rhode Island and nursing and social work students at Rhode Island College.

Once a year, the University will host an interprofessional workshop across the schools so the students can “work through case vignettes together about how to manage pain collectively as a health care team,” George said.

The effectiveness of the new curriculum will be closely monitored. In addition to exam testing throughout the program, third-year students will undergo the Objective Structured Clinical Examination, during which they will screen actors portraying patients with substance abuses and recommend necessary interventions, George said.

George and Mello expect the SBIRT curriculum to be fully established by the end of the three years and hope to see a ripple effect in the community. “You hope when our residents graduate and become physicians at medical centers across the country, they lead by example and get SBIRT integrated into the functions of wherever they are practicing,” Mello said.