Friday, January 29, 2016

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016

VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 3

Students protest Hillel-sponsored lecture

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M. BASKETBALL

Consecutive losses to Elis mark 0-2 Ivy start Close non-conference losses mean little after blowout loss to Yale in Ivy home opener

By CALEB MILLER STAFF WRITER

ALEXIA DELHOUME / HERALD

Student protesters gathered outside a lecture organized by the Brown/RISD Hillel featuring a chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Natan Sharansky, as well as actor Michael Douglas.

Students for Justice in Palestine, ally groups protest ‘propaganda’ for Israeli occupation

By MEI NOVAK AND KATE TALERICO SENIOR STAFF WRITER AND NEWS EDITOR

Conversation between Michael Douglas and Natan Sharansky during Thursday night’s “Jewish Journeys” lecture in Salomon 101 took place amid a protest led by Students for Justice in Palestine.

The lecture, organized by the Brown/RISD Hillel and sponsored by the Genesis Prize Foundation, Hillel International and the Jewish Agency

for Israel, aimed to discuss the roles “faith, religious pluralism and human rights have played” in the “personal journeys” of the two speakers: Douglas, an “award-winning actor” and Sharansky, an “historic politician and activist,” according to the event’s description.

Sharansky is currently a chairman at the Jewish Agency for Israel, which connects “Jews with Israel, with one another (and) with their heritage,” according to its website. The agency is one of the largest nonprofits in Israel and played a significant role in immigration to Israel and the absorption of immigrants upon the foundation of the state.

The event was intended to focus on the personal stories of the two

Gov. Raimondo reexamines education funding formula Working group stresses greater focus on English Language Learners, special education

By KYLE BOROWSKI SENIOR STAFF WRITER

A working group established by Gov. Gina Raimondo has released a 36-page report with policy recommendations for Rhode Island’s educational funding formula. The report suggests changes to the way aid is allocated to charter schools as well as special education and English Language Learner programs.

Elizabeth Burke Bryant, adjunct lecturer in international and public affairs and executive director of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT — a nonprofit advocacy group for Rhode Island’s children — served as co-chair of the working group.

“There was strong agreement that the funding formula is working well,” Bryant said. “Our charge was not to revamp the funds but to see if there were tweaks that needed to be considered.”

The working group’s report will be

INSIDE

a key resource for both the governor and the general assembly, she added.

The committee, assembled by Raimondo’s executive order last October, was tasked with evaluating the efficacy of the existing formula established in 2010 without accounting for increases in overall spending. Some worry the choice not to account for spending will result in financially infeasible program expansions or will benefit some districts at the expense of others.

“If you’re not going to increase state funding and you want to expand these special programs, you’re going to end up burdening the taxpayer,” said Tim Duffy, executive director of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees.

In its executive summary, the working group offered 20 funding recommendations for a variety of state educational programs, calling specifically for potential increases in funding for English Language Learners and special needs students. The group also recommended that Raimondo reexamine the funding differences between charter and traditional public schools. » See ED FUNDING, page 3

speakers, though the Israeli-Palestinian conflict became part of the talk, said Marshall Einhorn, executive director for Hillel, and Benjamin Gladstone ’18, vice president of Brown Students for Israel. Gladstone said his statements to The Herald are his own and are not representative of Brown Students for Israel.

A group of 30 protesters gathered outside Salomon before the talk, which drew a full audience.

When the group of demonstrators moved toward the door of Salomon, a security guard told them to “get away from the entrance.” In reply, an SJP member shouted back, “Don’t get away from the entrance!”

Because they had booked a room in » See PROTEST, page 2

The men’s basketball team closed its non-conference schedule on a positive note, shaking off its early season struggles. But a formidable Yale (11-5, 2-0 Ivy) team dealt the Bears (5-11, 0-2 Ivy) back-to-back losses to open their conference slate.

Before running into the teeth of the mighty Bulldogs, the Bears had shown improvement against non-Ivy opponents. The team’s record stood at 3-6 heading into exams in December, with four of those losses coming by doubledigits. But Head Coach Mike Martin seemed to have the team moving in the right direction in late December and early January. Bruno topped Bethune Cookman and Daniel Webster and lost hotly contested overtime games to Marist and a solid URI squad. A shootout in Maine also ended with the Bears

on the wrong end of a back-and-forth, six-point game.

While narrow losses kept the Bears’ record from showing marked improvement, the offense had certainly turned a corner. The Bears picked up their scoring average from 72.6 points per game to 82 points per contest over the winter break.

The offense improved at the close of non-conference play despite Justin Massey’s decision to transfer back to Florida Atlantic midway through the season. Massey, who transferred to Brown to join his twin brother before the season, was averaging 9.2 points and three rebounds per game, and had scored 19 in a win over Bryant two games before his departure.

But point guard Tavon Blackmon ’17 said the team is sticking to its game plan even after Massey’s decision to leave the school.

“The offense hasn’t necessarily changed much,” Blackmon said, adding that the uneven performances have more to do with the team’s shooting ability.

Blackmon himself can take much credit for Bruno’s offensive surge late in non-conference play. Blackmon’s scoring » See M. BBALL, page 3

M. HOCKEY

Bruno beats former No. 1 Friars OT goal from Marchin ’19 lifts Bruno over PC, but crosstown rival reclaims Mayor’s Cup

By MATT BROWNSWORD SPORTS EDITOR

Of the seven games the men’s hockey team played over winter break, it won only two: a 7-5 barnburner over Colgate in the teams’ third matchup of the season and a historic win over a top-ranked Providence squad.

Tommy Marchin ’19 continued his torrid start to the season with the overtime winner against the Friars ­— one of four goals he scored over the break. The rookie is second on the team in points with 10 goals and 10 assists, trailing only Nick Lappin ’16. His 20 points lead all first-years in the ECAC, leaving him tied for 12th overall.

“Tommy’s a big, strong kid who has been really important to our success this year,” said captain Mark Naclerio ’16.

“He’s a great goalscorer who is able to get pucks in front of the net and convert.”

But Marchin’s involvement in the game against Providence (16-4-4, 7-23 Hockey East) was hardly the biggest

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

First-time goalscorer Josh McArdle ’18 helped Brown tie the game against the Friars in the first period. Bruno went on to win 4-3 in overtime. surprise of the day — that honor be- McArdle ’18 benefited from traffic in longed to Andrew Doane ’17. The sel- front of the net. But the crosstown heavydom-seen junior was inserted into the weight struck back less than four minutes lineup for one of the first times all year later to recapture the lead through Brian and capitalized within three minutes.

Pinho.

“It was Doane’s first career goal, so Brown looked to an unlikely scorer to everyone was really happy for him,” tie the game once again. Charlie CorcoNaclerio said. ran ’18 scored his first goal of the season Brown (4-12-3, 2-9-2 ECAC) took off a brilliant tip-in to tie the game at a 1-0 lead courtesy of the junior — with three. Tim Lappin ’18 got the puck to his linemates getting the assists — but Tyler Wood ’17, who ripped a shot that Providence came back to take a 2-1 lead Corcoran got a stick on, wrong-footing before the period ended. the Providence goaltender.

It was another first-time goalscor“That’s what helps teams win big er that tied the game back up, as Josh » See M. HOCKEY, page 2

WEATHER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016

SPORTS Women’s basketball gets off to rough start in conference play, falling twice to Yale

SPORTS Wrestling goes 3-6 in dual meets, 2-4 in conference during actionpacked winter break

COMMENTARY Orkand ’99, Cohen-Millstein ’98: Rather than renounce AEPi, Beta Rho Phi should reform it

COMMENTARY O’Shea ’19: Blizzard ‘Snowzilla’ exposes human thoughtlessness on environmental issues

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TOMORROW

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PAGE 2 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016

» M. HOCKEY, from page 1 games — guys stepping up who normally don’t,” Naclerio said.

After three goals in each of the first two periods, there was no scoring in the third, which guaranteed that the Mayor’s

Cup would go to Providence. After beating the Bears 4-1 at Schneider Arena Dec. 10, all the Friars had to do was avoid a blowout to take the Mayor’s Cup back from Brown.

But for both teams, that meant little.

When Marchin scored the game-winner

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD exactly halfway through the overtime period, Meehan Auditorium erupted as the Bears met Marchin on the ice. Providence skated towards the middle of the ice to claim the Mayor’s Cup but was clearly disappointed with the result against its crosstown foe.

“It was a really great experience. It showed that we have a ton of potential,” Naclerio said. “It boosted our confidence, and we hope we can carry some momentum from that win.”

Despite the impressive win for the Bears, the winter break was hardly a successful one. Back-to-back one-goal losses to Yale, followed by a 6-2 drubbing at Saint Lawrence and a 5-0 blowout against Clarkson, left Bruno with zero conference points over its last six ECAC games.

“We just need to close out tight games,” Naclerio said. “If some pucks went our way, we’d have walked out of the Yale games with wins.”

One of the main problems for Brown has been at the goalie position: Tim Ernst ’17 and Tyler Steel ’17 had switched spots

all season before both sat in favor of Connor Maher’s ’18 first career start against Clarkson.

The defensive rotation has been a revolving door all year due to injuries and some poor performances, but Dane Cooper’s ’18 return should help a team that’s still trying to fill the hole left by injuries to Ben Tegtmeyer ’18.

Marchin, Lappin and Naclerio have been impressive this season on the first line, accounting for 61 of the team’s 126 points. Defenseman Max Gottlieb ’19 has been a revelation, with 15 points on the season. But there’s a nine-point gap between Gottlieb and the next highest point-scorer, Zack Pryzbek ’17.

The Bears take on No. 16 RPI and Union this weekend.

» PROTEST, from page 1

garnered applause from the audience.

Several students directly addressed the occupation of Palestine during the question and answer session following the lecture. Sharansky criticized the occupation of Palestine in one of his responses, agreeing that the territories should eventually become a free state.

Several other Providence community members appeared alongside the members of SJP to offer an alternative voice to those featured in the event.

“We are here as a presence inviting people to keep in mind human rights and rights for those in Palestine,” said Lee Clasper-Torch, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace.

By handing out leaflets and speaking with those entering the event, Clasper-Torch said he hoped to advocate “sustainable peace based on justice” and encourage Israeli officials to “abide by human rights international law, which they currently are not doing.”

“Brown has a history of giving microphones to people who have power,” said Martha Yager, a member of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker social justice group. “If Brown is going to let folks come and give them this space, as a responsible educator, (Brown needs) to make sure all voices are heard,” she added.

Some of the funders of the event made “a concerted effort” to shut down the BDS movement and “professors who are asking questions,” Yager said.

Gladstone, echoing Einhorn, said he was eager to hear the personal stories of the two lecturers and was disappointed that politics became the focus of the event for many students.

Einhorn told The Herald he enjoyed the lecture from Douglas and Sharansky, saying it presented students with the opportunity to hear the stories of others in the Jewish community.

Einhorn’s favorite part of the night was the question and answer period, which allowed students to speak directly with the lecturers, asking both political questions about the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and questions about Douglas’ career as an actor.

As for the SJP protesters, Einhorn said he was glad the students were able to speak their views freely. “We do our best to create a wide tent for students of all different perspectives to engage with one another … and hear from others in a safe way,” he said.

Several members of SJP declined to comment for this story.

Salomon, the protesters were able to enter the building’s lobby, where they remained for the bulk of the lecture.

As attendees filed into the auditorium, students shouted from the lobby, “Not another nickel, not another dime! No more money for Israel’s crimes!”

The protesters proceeded up the stairs in an attempt to hang their posters and Palestinian flags from the bannisters, shouting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!”

Security guards rushed ahead of the demonstrators and shut down their efforts. They returned to the lobby, where many of them taped up posters and left by 8 p.m. — more than half an hour before the lecture had finished.

Throughout the demonstration, Ashley Ferranti, assistant dean of student support services, reminded students of the University’s guidelines for staging protests. She also offered to provide further support for students who had missed class to be involved in activism or who were upset by the evening’s events.

Huriat Al-Sharq ’17, a member of SJP, cited the group’s reasons for protesting the event in a Herald opinion piece published the day of the event.

He wrote that the lecture was propaganda funded by the Israeli government and called the presence of such propaganda an “affront to academic freedom” that should not be presented to Brown students.

The individual speakers were also key reasons for SJP’s protest of the lecture. Al-Sharq wrote that Sharansky has been cited for “anti-Palestinian, anti-African racism” and that Douglas is involved in the Brand Israel campaign, which Al-Sharq defined as “a campaign designed to put the spotlight upon Israel’s cultural capital, rather than on its violent, repressive policies.”

Inside the auditorium, Douglas posed questions to Sharansky. Douglas addressed the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, asking if Sharansky thinks of it as an anti-Semitic movement. Sharansky said he fears those involved in the movement “are discouraging so many young Jews from being connected” and that he has had difficulty speaking with the members of the movement.

Sharansky said future Jewish leaders should remember their identities and where they come from, adding, “No one can humiliate you; you can only humiliate yourself,” which

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SPORTS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» M. BBALL, from page 1 production jumped from 8.5 points per game in November to 12.1 over the next two months. All the while, he continued to facilitate the offense, dishing out an Ivy League-best 5.1 assists per game.

A new addition has also bolstered the Bears attack — Obi Okolie ’19. The rookie sat out the beginning of the year with an injury but has made an impact since being cleared to play. When he plays at least 15 minutes, Okolie averages 11.2 points per contest.

The team’s improvement hit a wall with the arrival of league play and a home-and-home set with one of the conference’s best teams. Yale boasts a talented and experienced roster around

» ED FUNDING, from page 1 There are different arguments for increasing aid to both charter and traditional public schools, said Kenneth Wong, chair of the education department and advisor to the working group. Traditional public schools have disproportionately large populations of high-cost special education students, while charter schools often have to raise their own funds for things like facilities management, he added.

“If you look at the unique costs on balance, charter schools already out-pay those of traditional public schools,” said Timothy Groves, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Charter Schools. Still, Groves said charter schools would be willing to revisit the existing funding formula as “there’s always room for revision and

Ivy League Player of the Year candidate Justin Sears.

The Bulldogs threw a mighty punch to open the first game, jumping to a 21-4 lead in New Haven. The resilient Bears trimmed the advantage to just four late in the first half. When Yale pushed the lead to double digits again after the intermission, a JR Hobbie ’17 trey cut it to five in the final minutes. But Yale kept the feisty Bears at bay to pick up the win in the Ivy opener.

The Elis packed a similar punch in the second meeting, but Bruno never punched back. Yale started to pull away midway through the first half, and Brown never came close after Yale’s crippling run. A 13-point halftime lead ballooned to 30 in the second half. Bad modification.”

Duffy sees the situation differently.

“Charter schools are impacting public schools negatively already,” he said, adding that “students are inclined to enter a charter school lottery only because they can’t get the services they need in their underfunded public schools.”

The executive order states that the responsibility of the working group is solely to research and report findings on the existing funding formula, and its policy recommendations will not necessarily be implemented.

“The overall sentiment of the report is that we hope the legislature will be able to find some new money to move into public education,” Wong said. “It’s a very important domain to serve the collective interest of the state, so I hope the legislature would take that into consideration.”

shooting, especially around the basket, sunk Bruno’s early energy and allowed the Bulldogs to cruise to a win.

“We just aren’t playing very efficient right now,” Blackmon said, blaming Brown’s poor shooting and crediting good scouting by Yale.

Despite two opening losses to Yale, the Bears have plenty of time to rebound from their dim start.

Hobbie said the mood in practice has been optimistic and upbeat. “We realize those last two games that we had done a lot of very good things,” he said. “We just have to keep positive attitudes.”

The Ivy League features a strong field this year, so the Bears will be tested once again this weekend against Princeton and Penn.

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Steven Spieth ’17 dribbles past a Rhode Island defender during the 88-85 overtime loss on Dec. 30 at the Pizzitola Center.

SPORTS

PAGE 4 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

W. BASKETBALL

Bulldogs sweep Bears in home-and-home to open conference play Poor shooting, inability to make crucial stops stick Bruno with 0-2 start in Ivy League play

By JAMES SCHAPIRO STAFF WRITER

Entering Ivy League competition, the women’s basketball team seemed poised for success. The team was 12-2 and had just bested Rhode Island College to sweep its in-state match-ups.

But suddenly, things began to go

wrong.

At Yale (11-8, 2-0 Ivy), the Bears (12-4, 0-2 Ivy) encountered an opponent with whom they could not keep pace. Yale heavily out-rebounded Bruno, recording 52 rebounds to Brown’s 24.

The Bulldogs also out-assisted the Bears, recording 14 helpers to the Bears’ five.

After the Bears cut the deficit to five points in the second quarter, the Bulldogs pulled away, leading by 11 at the end of the first half and 15 at the end of the third quarter. Yale ultimately defeated the Bears 81-54. It was the Bears’ worst point differential of the season.

“We were a little under-prepared,” said guard Rebecca Musgrove ’17. “We underestimated our competition. … A lot of people had it in their head, ‘Oh, we’re 12 and two, we’re so good’ — that kind of attitude going into it.”

“We lost focus,” agreed fellow guard Shayna Mehta ’19. “We were all ready to go; it was just unexpected. They’re Ivy League — we haven’t played anyone of that caliber yet.”

Six days later, the Bears would have an opportunity for redemption. The team met Yale once again, this time at home.

But the Bears found themselves

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Brown plays defense against in-state rival Rhode Island during its 67-63 win Dec. 1. Since then, the Bears are 6-3 but winless against Ivy foes. victims of a sluggish start yet again, Bears 49-38. this time to a head-scratching degree.

“It’s pretty frustrating, because we After Mehta made a layup to open the played pretty well. We had open shots, scoring and put Brown up 2-0, the Bears but none of our shots were going in,” missed their next 12 shots. Mehta’s layup Mehta said. “But we stuck with them provided their only points of the first the whole time, which was much better quarter. than the first game.”

“We had a different starting lineup, so Yale outplayed the Bears by nearly it was rough transitioning into different every statistical measure. Brown shot players on the court,” Musgrove said. only 22.6 percent from the field and “Our shots just weren’t falling.” only 5.3 percent from three-point range.

“It was just a terrible shooting night The Bears also missed nine free throws. for both teams,” Mehta said. “People have Though the difference was not as stark, bad games; our team had a bad shoot- the Bears were outassisted, with only ing game.” two to Yale’s eight, and once again outThough the Bears did not shoot well, rebounded, 49-37. their defense was certainly effective and After the two losses, the Bears “are kept them in the game throughout the doing more drills to pick up our toughfirst half. In the first quarter, Yale scored ness,” Musgrove said. “We have forwards only seven points. The Bears were down crashing the boards, and we have guards only five, a manageable deficit. Bruno making sure we find people to box out.” quickly cut into that deficit in the second The Bears now face two consecutive quarter, outscoring Yale 16-12 to end the road games against tough opponents. first half down only one, 19-18.

They will play Princeton (11-4, 0-1 Ivy) “We had to clean up a lot on defense, Friday and Penn (12-3, 2-0 Ivy) Saturand we really executed that,” Musgrove day. Unless the Bears can dramatically said. “We did some really good things.” improve on their performances against But Yale managed to maintain a slim Yale, their Ivy League season may begin lead, scoring key baskets every time the 0-4 — not the kind of start expected of Bears got close. The Bears inched within a team that entered league play with a three points of Yale four times, the last 12-2 record. coming with less than four minutes re“We know that Penn and Princeton maining in the game. Each time, Yale are the toughest two teams in the league,” responded by scoring, and the Bears Musgrove said. “We have to come towere unable to shrink their deficit any gether and make sure as a team that we further. After the Bears nearly levelled go in confident.” the score to 42-38 with under three min“We’re going to try our hardest and utes remaining, the Bulldogs ended the forget about Yale,” Mehta said. “New contest on a 7-0 run and defeated the week, new season.”

TODAY

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

LONE R ANGER

m en u SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Pizza: Bacon and Feta Cheese, Harvest, Buffalo Chicken Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwich JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Made-to-Order Quesadillas

Clam Chowder, Minestrone Soup Naked Burritos

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Grilled Tuna and Cheese Sandwich, Mexican-Style Corn, Grilled Turkey Burger

Tex-Mex Lasagna, Roasted Beets with Red Onion, Boston Cream Pie, Tuscan Pappardelle Pasta

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

German Sausage Chowder, Breaded Chicken Fingers, Vegetarian Baked Beans

Cajun Pasta with Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Roasted Vegetable Melange, Falafel Burger

sudoku

ASHLEY SO / HERALD

The remains of a resilient snowman in front of University Hall embolden students to persevere during shopping period while offering a reminder of colder days. Shopping period continues until Feb. 9.

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16 Siete menos seis 17 Threat to the queen’s cotton?

19 Water source 20 Hersey’s “A Bell for __” 21 Wind dir.

22 Call forth 24 Help for a sad BFF 26 Subject of the first picture in Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” 27 Satan’s broadcaster?

34 Physical, e.g.

35 On the move 36 Plane compartment 37 Told, as an elaborate tale 38 Repeating rhythmic pattern used in Cuban music 39 Balderdash 40 39-Down carrier 41 Deli equipment 42 Protected at sea 43 Really unpopular fish?

46 Rushed 47 Mauna __ 48 Expert 49 “__ Kapital” 52 Make whole 56 First woman to land a triple axel in competition 57 1958 Orson Welles film noir ... and a hint to 17-, 27- and 43Across 60 Revival prefix 61 Overshoot 62 Bear’s cry 63 Philosophy 64 Trinket 65 Town near Padua DOWN 1 Indian district with three World Heritage Sites

2 Rain protection 3 Irish musician with four Grammys 4 Transitional period 5 Hand analog 6 Pub array 7 Oahu entertainers 8 Keep 9 Manning taking a hike 10 26-Across feature 11 Lot occupant 12 Part of Oregon’s border 13 Last thing in Pandora’s box 18 Relax 23 “Cross my heart,” e.g.

25 Round ornament 26 Vague 27 John of Scotch fame 28 Clears 29 Ed Norton catchphrase on “The Honeymooners” 30 Firm 31 Climate control systs.

32 Jewel thief portrayer in “The Pink Panther” 33 They’re often bent 39 About 125 million people 41 Not objective 44 Halogen suffix 45 High hair style 48 Revealing apparel 49 Household glue brand 50 Served very well

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58 Good Grips kitchenware brand 59 “They say there is divinity in __ numbers”: Falstaff

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Opening: Vestiges of the Transatlantic Slave Trade 2:30 P.M. John Hay Library

FirstGen / SFS Welcome Back Event 6:00 P.M. Sayles Hall Auditorium

SATURDAY

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CareerCon: Jobs on the Hill Panel 10:00 A.M. Pembroke Hall 305

Memorial Service for Professor Emeritus Abbott Gleason 1:30 P.M. First Unitarian Church of Providence

SUNDAY Capitalist Cartoons and American Pancakes @ Tech House 12:00 P.M. Harkness House

Effective Interviewing for Jobs and Internships 4:00 P.M. CareerLAB

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Brown Bites

How do you say “Bye Felicia” in Greek?

News that the frat formerly known as AEPi disaffiliated from the international organization and became the independent frat Beta Rho Pi struck newsfeeds everywhere this week. In an op-ed, the president of Beta Rho Pi, Ben Owens ’17, discussed the brothers’ reasoning for disaffiliation, citing religious bias against non-Jewish brothers and disagreement over the way AEPi National handles sexual assault prevention. By getting rid of national dues, the guys also aim to make the frat more inclusive. Jonathan Pierce, past international president of AEPi and current AEPi spokesman, voiced his disappointment over the brothers’ decision, saying that being in AEPi is special, and Brown’s chapter “didn’t value that.” Founders of the Brown AEPi chapter Seth Orkand ’99 and Peter Cohen-Millstein ’98 published an op-ed in The Herald explaining their disappointment with the disaffiliation.

Sounds like that break-up went about as well as when we dumped our 7thgrade boyfriend. Sorry, Sam — we loved you, we just weren’t in love with you.

The curse of Thayer Students mourned the loss of two more places to eat as Thayer claimed the lives of both SnoTea Caffè and Skewers over winter break. While some students felt the loss of SnoTea especially hard, Skewers spent the end of last semester fairly empty of customers. Kung Fu Tea, which will be owned and operated by the management of the nearby Den Den Café Asiana, is slated to open up later this semester in SnoTea’s place. The only silver lining of the closings: the ghost of Skewers will make a great Halloween costume.

Need for speed Daredevils who crave the exhilarating feeling of going 10 mph were crushed by the news that hoverboards were banned from campus over break. According to Senior Associate Dean of Campus Life Richard Bova, hoverboards’ lithium batteries have been prone to catch fire and are therefore banished from residence halls, auxiliary housing properties and University buildings. Brown joined 25 other universities including Harvard, Yale and Columbia who have banned the board. Attention students in need of other hipster ways to get around campus: Have you tried unicycling?

Brown came in like a wrecking ball Good news for visiting parents — Brown is planning on knocking down seven buildings on Brook and Cushing Streets to create a temporary new parking lot. According to Al Dahlberg, the director of state and community relations for Brown, the addition is being made in response to requests by Thayer Street merchants for additional parking options. Once Brown’s twoyear permit expires, the University plans to use the area “to meet emerging residential or academic needs.” We have to say we’re most excited about the new potential shortcut opportunities on our way to class.

CORRECTION An article in Thursday’s Herald (“University to build temporary Brook St. parking lot,” Jan. 28) stated that Brown had secured a permit from the Providence Zoning Board of review. In fact, a commission under the Providence Department of Planning and Development recommended the board issue a permit. It also said the University could not demolish the seven buildings it purchased in July 2014 until it presented its plan to a commission under the planning and development department. In fact, it cannot begin working on them until it gains the aforementioned permit. The Herald regrets the error.

CORRECTION An article in Thursday’s Herald (“Simmons portrait hung in Sayles,” Jan. 28) had a caption on the photo saying that former President Ruth Simmons is the 37th person and the first woman to have her portrait hung in Sayles Hall. In fact, she is the 36th person and the first African-American woman to have her portrait hung in Sayles. The Herald regrets the error.

CORRECTION An article in Thursday’s Herald (“Paxson elected to Federal Reserve Bank of Boston board of directors,” Jan. 28) stated that President Christina Paxson’s P’19 term is three years long. In fact, she will serve on the board until the end of 2017.

The Herald regrets the error.

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

“That’s what helps teams win big games — guys stepping up who normally don’t.”

— Mark Naclerio ’16, captain of the men’s hockey team

See m.hockey on page 2.

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COMMENTARY FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

BRPi should not have disaffiliated from AEPi SETH ORKAND AND PETER COHEN-MILLSTEIN op-ed contributors

Fellow Brunonians, As alums and founding members of the Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter at Brown, we write to correct some of the mischaracterizations of AEPi in the Jan. 27 opinion column signed by Ben Owens ’17 and the members of the newly established Beta Rho Pi. Though the relationship between the fraternity and its alums may be of little interest to the broader Brown community, we feel a responsibility to correct the column’s misleading and false statements about AEPi. We want to make two points at the outset.

First, every Greek organization must take sexual assault very seriously, and we believe that AEPi is a leader in this regard. Second, AEPi is open to any student who identifies as male — regardless of religion — who wishes to join a Jewish fraternity.

The signatories to this letter founded the Brown chapter of AEPi in 1995. We faced several challenges, including anti-Semitic comments by a member of Residential Council.

But we were steadfast in our commitment to build an organization that we hoped would provide enduring value to the membership and the Brown community long after we graduated and one that reflected the values that we shared with AEPi. And throughout its 20-year history at Brown, AEPi has been a leader among its peer fraternities in promoting inclusion of students regardless of race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation and gender identity.

AEPi is unapologetically a Jewish fraterni-

ty. As a mission-driven organization, it cares deeply about the quality of the Jewish experience at each of its chapters and the campuses and communities that it calls home. To that end, AEPi seeks out brothers who wish to join the organization because of, rather than despite, its Jewish character. But that has not prevented the organization from rushing, welcoming and electing to leadership positions,

ual assault on campus, as has the international fraternity within the larger Greek community.

The international fraternity, along with many of the chapter’s alums, has taken quite seriously the chapter’s concerns and has taken steps to address them. Immediately upon learning of their vote to disaffiliate — which came as a surprise to alums, who were deliberately excluded from the conversation — a

They further imply that AEPi is too morally compromised to engage with on these important issues. Based on our 20year history of working with the international fraternity, we disagree.

brothers of any religion.

The fraternity’s Jewish values inform its zero-tolerance policy concerning sexual assault.

Let us be clear: It is indisputable that incidents of sexual assault are vastly underreported — not falsely reported — on college campuses. That one in four female undergraduates and nearly 7 percent of male undergraduates at Brown report having been victims of sexual assault during their time on campus is deplorable and must be addressed. The AEPi chapter at Brown has been a leader in preventing sex-

group of chapter alums attempted to facilitate conversation between the members at Brown and the international organization. We understand that the international fraternity made several significant commitments to the chapter, including to solicit the chapter’s input to improve AEPi’s sexual assault prevention training and to investigate the unacceptable comments allegedly made by some AEPi staff members that do not reflect the fraternity’s policies or culture. It is unfortunate that the chapter has chosen to disengage rather than be an agent of

change to ensure that the international fraternity addresses the important, substantive issues facing college students across the country.

The current undergraduates claim that any attempt at dialogue would have been futile since AEPi “takes stances so contrary to (the Brown chapter’s) values.” They further imply that AEPi is too morally compromised to engage with on these important issues. Based on our 20-year history of working with the international fraternity, we disagree. As one concrete example, immediately upon learning that the chapter had suggestions on how to improve the fraternity’s sexual assault prevention education, the international fraternity offered to work with the chapter to implement changes.

The chapter at Brown never responded.

To say that we are disappointed by the chapter’s decision would be a vast understatement.

We are especially saddened that this organization has gone dormant because of misguided and ill-conceived reasons. Given the positive impact that AEPi has had on campus for over 20 years, we urge the University and student body to welcome and support any student who wishes to join AEPi in the future so that the fraternity may continue its positive contributions to the Brown community. We express our full support for any student who wishes to do so.

Sincerely, The founding members of Alpha Epsilon Pi at Brown

Seth Orkand ’99 and Peter Cohen-Millstein ’98 are two of the founding members of the Brown chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Snowzilla versus the people RONAN O’SHEA staff columnist

On a foggy day in Providence, I am running in a cloud along the East Bay Bike Path. The wind turbines to the west and Veterans Parkway to the east are obscured by the veil draped over the Providence River. Facing north, our downtown skyline has vaporized. A subtle combination of low temperature and high humidity has erased these monuments of humanity. Over the past semester, these runs have inspired me to think about the relationship between humans and the natural world.

I find myself now under the thumb of a far more potent natural phenomenon ­— Snowzilla, the blizzard of 2016. Twenty-nine inches of snow fell on my family’s house in Maryland, an all-time record. The actions of my community before, during and after Snowzilla’s attack reflect the complexities of our contemporary relationship with nature in profound and unsettling ways.

Leading up to the storm, the public was well aware that this would be a big one. Hoarding ensued as the masses descended upon supermarkets, clearing shelves and queuing restlessly at checkouts. Despite the hysteria, at least citizens were still willing to pay for the food; a reassuring sliver of civility remained. Thus

I was presented with a scary sight: isles and fridges devoid of food like a Soviet-era supermarket. It is easy to forget how dependent our comfortable existence is upon a surplus of easily accessible foods. In a possible future emergency, during which supply chains may break down for a prolonged period, will this chaos devolve into anarchy? Could we grow

of us never consider the fragile balance between the modern systems that allow for immediate gratification and the constant threat that our familiar ecosystems might collapse.

Our glittering world could be rendered acutely impractical.

A trail of logistical miracles provides us with mindlessly convenient access to such decadent luxuries as

A dangerous feedback loop emerges from this global network.

Fossil fuel-intensive production and transportation processes exacerbate the greenhouse effect. As we are already seeing, climate change is submerging once habitable lands and rendering once fertile areas barren.

This record snowfall is yet another harbinger of more extreme, adverse

If we continue as a people to abuse the rich earth, eventually the wild party that is modern civilization will be brought to a halt.

our own wheat or hunt our own meat?

As the first flurries fell, I wandered past a Chick-fil-A, where my neighbors formed endless lines of pedestrians and cars. Were they thinking about the scarcity of the Earth’s resources with respect to their limitless desires? Despite the imminent threat of impassable roads, they wanted their chicken sandwich right now.

Our society has become conditioned to easy fulfillment of its wants. Most

the Original Chicken Sandwich. This system relies on the viability of diverse agricultural environments and the availability of cheap petroleum to fuel the transportation of ingredients to an outlet near you. Trucks from Nebraska weave their way through Appalachia. Paprika and palm oil from a farm cross the Atlantic on a behemoth barge. Brazilian lumberjacks fell ancient trees to make flimsy paper bags. And I walk to the counter and order a number one with fries.

weather events to come. If we continue as a people to abuse the rich earth, eventually the wild party that is modern civilization will be brought to a halt. Most of us will find ourselves ill-prepared to face the hangover that follows.

In the thick of the storm, every home prayed that electricity would remain on. Our climate-controlled houses and high-definition entertainment systems were now all that separated us from the deer huddled

beneath the trees outside. Our vulnerability becomes evermore evident as we deplete our natural resources under the leadership of individuals who seem intent on driving our society forward right until the collective well runs dry. In this inconvenient future, we lose what distinguishes us from the beasts in the woods. Laws and respect for human dignity become irrelevant when all of one’s efforts must be directed toward finding food and warmth. Perhaps if the populous considered this potential path as seriously as they have the zombie apocalypse, we could be scared into moving towards attitudes and policies that provide for a more sustainable direction.

Now that the skies have cleared, we all toil to dig out as quickly as possible. Each of us wants desperately to return to the society that has provided us with comfort for our entire lives. We are happy to participate in this system by which we are separated from the cold winds of the world beyond the control of our intelligence and reason — the world that came so much nearer once twoand-a-half feet of snow fell on our doorsteps. Fortunately, this time, when the fog lifted, the skyline remained.

Ronan O’Shea ‘19 can be reached at ronan_oshea@brown.edu

SPORTS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016

WRESTLING

W. HOCKEY

Tough schedule stymies Bears struggle with consistency Bruno over winter break Staudenmayer ’17 stars Bears hope to gain momentum from ties with Cornell, Union as late playoff push begins

By BEN SHUMATE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In the midst of a 3-16-2 season, it might be harder than usual to find positives for the women’s hockey team to build on. Bruno is hoping that a 2-2 tie against Union Jan. 23 might qualify, giving the team a boost for the final stretch of what has been a tough season for the Bears.

Erin Conway ’17 scored the equalizer with just 1:18 left in the third period to send the game into overtime. The game marked a bright spot in the team’s winter break stretch, a three-week period in which the Bears went 0-7-2.

The other tie came on the road Jan. 16 at Cornell. The draw with the Big Red was another third-period comeback for Bruno, as Cynthia Kyin ’18 scored her first career goal to knot the score at 2, 3:56 into the final frame. Brown’s only other goal was also a milestone: the first collegiate tally for Abby Niewchas ’19.

Sam Donovan ’18 touted the team’s persistence throughout challenging games during a tough season.

“Getting those two ties and coming from behind really motivated our team,” Donovan said. “It shows that we really don’t get down.”

The gauntlet of an ECAC schedule has proved difficult for a relatively inexperienced team. The conference is currently home to four of the 10 highest-ranked teams in the nation.

Brown fell at No. 10 Princeton, No. 4 Quinnipiac and No. 7 Clarkson over the break. For a team with just three seniors and seven total upperclassmen, experienced teams have posed insurmountable challenges.

Donovan said the team often falls behind because of breakdowns during a short stretch of game time.

“If you look at scores period-byperiod, we keep games pretty close for the first and second period,” Donovan said. “We’ve improved, and the scores haven’t always shown that.”

Bruno trailed by just one against Colgate and Merrimack after the first

period and even led Quinnipiac. Unfortunately for the Bears, they went on to lose by at least three goals in each case.

Another encouraging sign for Bruno is the recent increase in offensive production, accompanied by a change in the team’s lines. Brown has scored two goals in four of the past five games, a stretch that included both of the team’s ties. While not overwhelming, these results constitute a marked improvement over the team’s previous offensive performances: The Bears were shut out or held to one goal in nine of 12 games to start the season.

Coach Bob Kenneally switched up the top lines, moving Samantha Swanstrom ’18 up to play with Donovan and Bridget Carey ’19, who had both previously been playing with Maddie Woo ’17. Donovan said the team has been working in practice to try to get comfortable with the new combinations.

With eight games to play, Brown has an outside shot at qualifying for the ECAC tournament, in which it hasn’t participated since the 2011-12 season. Bruno will need to finish in the top eight to play in the tournament. A conference record of 1-11-2 puts Brown in 11th place, nine points behind Yale (7-13-1, 6-7-1 ECAC), which currently occupies the 8th spot.

Luckily for the Bears, they will get two chances to make up ground on the Bulldogs this weekend. The teams will square off Friday at Yale — a game that will air nationally on ESPN3 — and then return to Providence to face off again against the Elis Saturday. Any scenario that has Bruno making the conference tournament almost certainly starts with two wins this weekend.

To do so, Brown will need to stop a balanced scoring attack from Yale, led by senior Janelle Ferrara, who tops the team with seven goals this season. Three other Bulldogs have contributed six goals, including junior Phoebe Staenz, the team leader in shots with 70 on the season. The Bears will look to use evolving offensive chemistry to beat Yale junior goaltender Hanna Mandl. Mandl has 452 saves this season, good for fourth in the ECAC.

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Alli Rolandelli ‘16 skates down the ice. Her team will look to right the ship this weekend after encouraging ties against Cornell and Union.

as Bruno goes 3-6 in dual meets over jam-packed winter break schedule

By NIKKO PASANEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

It was a busy winter break for the wrestling team, as the Bears (3-6, 2-4 EIWA) spent much of their time on the road competing up and down the northeast. Bruno’s efforts were highlighted by strong individual results at the Franklin and Marshall Open, as well as wins at Sacred Heart University, Franklin and Marshall College and Bloomsburg University.

“Winter break is a perfect time without academic stresses to focus on building and refining skills,” said Head Coach Todd Beckerman. “We saw the team’s dedication and grit, and as school ramps back up, we hope to continue that momentum through the conference tournament and NCAA Championships.”

Before embarking on the more traditional dual-meet portion of their schedule, the Bears kicked things off at the Franklin and Marshall Open, where they registered five placewinners. The team was led by Justin Staudenmayer ’17, who won the 157-pound weight class, and Josh

Durso-Finley ’18, who captured second at 197 pounds. Staudenmayer has now placed in three tournaments during the season, marking an impressive start for the junior.

“Justin is a competitor and works extremely hard in the wrestling room,” Beckerman said. “After making it to the NCAA tournament last year in St. Louis, it made him more hungry to have success on the national stage. His goal this year is to get on the NCAA podium at Madison Square Garden in NYC, and he is doing the right things to make that happen.”

After competing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the Bears headed west to begin a series of nine dual-meets.

The first three came at the Pitt Duals, where Bruno faced off against ACC powerhouses No. 15 North Carolina and No. 20 Pittsburgh, as well as EIWA foe American University. Despite losing all three contests, Staudenmayer and Austin Pfarr ’18 fared well, winning two bouts apiece.

The Bears continued with five consecutive EIWA matches, putting up a 2-3 record. Bruno took down Sacred Heart and Franklin and Marshall but fell to Cornell, Columbia and Bucknell. Most recently, the team travelled to Bloomburg University, where it recorded a convincing victory.

Beckerman pointed to the improvements of Steven Galiardo ’17, Zeke Salvo ’18 and Jon Viruet ’19 in the dual meets.

Galiardo is “growing in confidence and putting in extra work, and it’s paying off in his performance,” Beckerman said.

“Salvo has also really elevated his game this year and is leading the team in pin falls with seven total,” he added.

“Viruet has really progressed from the first day he stepped on campus.

He stays after practice, watches video of his matches and it shows in his results,” Beckerman said.

Beckerman explained that winter break is not only about the wins and losses, but also a chance for the team to spend time together away from competition.

“We like to use this time to have fun and bond as a team,” he said, adding that the team enjoyed a Providence Bruins hockey game and a community service event. “We use these activities as an opportunity to learn more about our team and their personalities outside of the wrestling room.”

The Bears hope to take everything they learned on and off the mat during break and build on it as they get ready to take on Ivy League foes Penn and Princeton in upcoming Alumni Weekend matches Feb. 6-7.