SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016
VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 88
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Event staffer allegedly harasses students at party Office of Student Life addresses concerns, notifies third-party contractor of incidents By LAUREN ARATANI NEWS EDITOR
ELI WHITE / HERALD
The University and the United Service and Allied Workers union signed a new contract Monday night. The new agreement boosts pay and benefits for Facilities Management workers.
Facilities union negotiates new contract
Contract includes pay raises of 2.25 percent each year until 2021 for all facilities union members By JACKSON CHAIKEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The University signed a new contract with the United Service and Allied Workers union — representing Facilities Management workers — that was approved by the union Monday night, said Karen
McAninch, the union’s business agent. “Staff members from the Facilities Management bargaining unit play a critical role in maintaining and improving the Brown campus and cultivating a setting that allows the University to fulfill its academic mission,” wrote Vice President of Facilities Management Stephen Maiorisi in an email to The Herald. “Our negotiations with union leadership were positive and productive, and we’re pleased to have reached a fair and competitive agreement.” The old contract, which had been in
effect since October 2011, expired Oct. 13, and the current contract is effective until October 2021, according to a copy of the agreement obtained by The Herald. Because the old contract expired Oct. 13 and the new one was not approved by the union until Oct. 17, Facilities Management workers were technically working without contract for those four days. This is “not the first time we have worked without a contract,” said Anthony Ward Jr., president of the union and a heating, ventilation and air conditioning » See CONTRACT, page 2
Multiple students were allegedly harassed by an event security staff officer at a party co-hosted by Brown’s Organization of Multiracial and Biracial Students and Harambee House Oct. 14, according to a statement released by BOMBS Oct. 16 on its Facebook page. The security officer is employed by a third-party contractor, wrote Director of News and Editorial Content Brian Clark in an email to The Herald. BOMBS first described an incident involving a black student who was standing outside of the party on a ramp outside the door. The white security officer told the student to get off the ramp, and the student told the officer that his “ancestors built this campus” and that his tuition allowed him to be in that public University space, according to the statement. The officer responded that his own ancestors “were practically slaves on a potato farms,” according to the statement. In the second incident, an unnamed
female student was provoked by the same officer after walking into the party without waiting in line. When she walked in, the security officer “grabbed the student while yelling at her” and proceeded to “push the student out of the building by her neck,” according to the statement. The officer later bragged “to other employees and BOMBS (executive) board members about how the student would likely have bruises on her neck in the morning.” The third incident involved the same officer enticing two male students who were deciding whether or not to enter the party “by offering them different members of the BOMBS (executive) board with phrases like, ‘What about her? She’s pretty’ and pointing to various women,” according to the statement. The “officers are supposed to remain unprovoked. The officer’s response was unprofessional, racist and hurtful to the student,” according to BOMBS’ statement, which was signed by the group’s executive board. The BOMBS executive board met with University administrators Tuesday afternoon to discuss the incidents, BOMBS said in a second statement released on its Facebook page Tuesday. Clark also confirmed that staff from the Office of Student Life “have already » See BOMBS, page 2
‘Gigs on the Grass’ features BUCC meeting covers Title IX Office updates Members discuss Title student musical talent IX Oversight, Advisory U.’s first student-only festival kicked off Saturday, best acts chosen for “Spring Prekend” By ROLAND HIGH SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Student bands took turns at the two stages on Pembroke field Saturday afternoon, drawing a steady flow of concertgoers up from Thayer for Brown’s newest festival, “Gigs on the Grass.” The first festival at Brown to exclusively feature student artists, “Gigs” was organized by the Brown Concert Agency and the Class Coordinating Board with the support of the Student Activities Office. It is also the first event that the BCA and CCB have coordinated together. Senior members of both groups said it marks the beginning of an annual tradition and an important platform for talented student musicians. But “Gigs” is more than a concert.
ARTS & CULTURE
INSIDE
After a “Battle of the Bands,” a panel of three judges, all recent alums, announced the winners: Luk and Val Make Music, Pure Evan, DIASPORA and richard. These four bands will be featured in a concert to be scheduled just a couple weeks ahead of Spring Weekend; the CCB will call it “Spring Prekend,” said Pia Struzzieri ’18, president of CCB 2018. The judges seem to have been impressed by the contestants, as they found themselves unable to winnow down the list to only three bands as they originally intended. Most of the musicians at the concert delivered skilled performances. The four groups headed for Spring Prekend showed an impressive combination of energy, spot-on vocals and infectious rhythm. The Prekend lineup promises something for every taste, from DIASPORA’s intense raps to Luk and Val’s more simple, indie melodies. The creation of these concerts were spurred by a desire to elevate student musicians and reach out to new students looking for opportunities in the musical community, said BCA co-chair Riley » See GIGS, page 2
Board, faculty training, current prevention work By SHIRA BUCHSBAUM SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Brown University Community Coalition met Tuesday afternoon to discuss the Title IX Oversight and Advisory Board’s review on the implementation of the Sexual Assault Task Force’s recommendations and general issues relating to sexual assault prevention and education on campus. Laurel Bestock, associate professor of archaeology and chair of the Title IX Oversight and Advisory Board, shared the major points that came out of the 2015-2016 review and the priorities of the board moving forward. Since the SATF released its final report in 2015, the University has made “massive strides” in implementing the recommendations, Bestock said. Goals accomplished include the creation of the Title IX Office, the hiring of an internal investigator and the expansion of the Sexual Harassment and Assault Resources
SARA RUNKEL / HERALD
The Brown University Community Coalition’s Tuesday meeting reviewed the Title IX Office’s 2015-2016 report and campus education efforts. and Education program. The board was born out of a recommendation from the SATF and is charged with reviewing and making recommendations concerning all Title IX issues. Though not currently in a review year, the board still collects information regarding Title IX to continually assess the implementation of the SATF’s recommendations, Bestock said. Bestock emphasized that the board identified developing institutional trainings — especially for faculty members — as a top priority for the coming year. Though current training exists, it is not comprehensive and specific enough to Brown faculty members, Bestock said.
“I was so impressed with the effort, but I was mortified” by the actual content of the faculty training, said Susan Harvey, professor of history and religion. Other faculty members shared Harvey’s concerns about the content of the training, and the Title IX Office is thinking critically about how to develop educational training for faculty members, said Amanda Walsh, Title IX program officer. Bestock said faculty members have been “unclear about technical responsibilities” regarding reporting and providing resources if a student discloses an experience of sexual harassment or assault with them. The current training » See TITLE IX, page 3
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY, OC TOBER 19, 2016
ARTS & CULTURE Cancer research group plans third annual Food Truck Festival for Parents Weekend to raise funds
ARTS & CULTURE Documentary by Canner ’91 questions creation of drug for female sexual dysfunction
COMMENTARY Rose ’19, Shire ’19: Brown Republicans do not endorse Trump, citing policies, character
COMMENTARY Zheng ’20: Due to instrumentality and insincerity, networking events produce few real connections
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