SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 96
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Corp. approves new alumni trustee election process ‘New alum’ trustees must be recent graduates, elected by larger constituency of students By LAUREN ARATANI NEWS EDITOR
During their meeting this weekend, members of the Corporation, the University’s highest governing body, approved a reformed process for electing new alumni trustees, wrote President Christina Paxson P’19 in a community-wide email Saturday. Starting spring 2017, undergraduate and graduate students in their final year of study and alums who have graduated within the last five years will be eligible to vote for new alumni trustees, previously referred to as “young alumni trustees,” according to a University press release. Two positions on the Corporation will be reserved for new alumni trustees beginning July 2017, Paxson wrote. The new alumni trustees must have graduated within the past three years when their term begins and will serve on the Corporation for two years. “The new alumni trustees … will contribute an important perspective grounded closely in the student experience, often acting as an interface with current Brown students,” Paxson
wrote in the email. This is the first time the Corporation is allowing a significant number of current students and alums to vote for their new alumni trustee member. Kayla Rosen ’14, one of two current young alumni trustees, was the first trustee in her position to be elected by a student committee made up of members from the Undergraduate Council of Students, Graduate Student Council and the Alpert Medical School Council, The Herald previously reported. The Corporation meeting also served as the first meeting for six new trustees, including Mya Roberson ’16, Paxson wrote. Roberson serves as the newest young alumni trustee alongside Rosen. The meeting was the first to be held under new leadership headed up by Chancellor Samuel Mencoff ’78, Vice Chancellor Alison Ressler ’80 and Treasurer Theresia Gouw ’90, who were appointed last February. The Corporation met with students and faculty members to discuss progress on the Building on Distinction and Pathways to Diversity and Inclusion plans as well as the BrownTogether campaign, Paxson wrote. Members met with undergraduates to discuss international student experiences. The Corporation also formally » See MEETING, page 3
COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY
The graduate student reading room aims to provide a space that fosters collaboration and community among those students. The room is a step forward, though there are still improvements to be made, grad students said.
Grad student reading room officially opens Reading room offers exclusive space, affirms U. support for grad education, experience By PRIYANKA PODUGU CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Students, staff members and administrators attended a ceremony at the Rockefeller Library that officially dedicated
and opened its new Vincent J. Wernig Graduate Student Reading Room Saturday. The room, which overlooks downtown Providence and includes a large seminar room and kitchen, gives graduate students the opportunity to collaborate and study with fellow grad students. The Graduate Student Reading Room’s creation is one step the University has taken to provide more exclusive communal space for graduate students, as
undergraduates do not have swipe access to the space. Over 70 percent of grad students use library resources, said University Librarian Harriette Hemmasi. Because students in the humanities and social sciences are extremely “book dependent,” grad students in those programs especially rely on the Rock for resources and space, she added. By creating a reading room catered » See READING, page 3
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Crucial match ends in draw at Penn Dean of School of Public
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Amanda Lane ’19 battles with a Columbia defender in a game earlier this season. Lane scored Brown’s only goal in a 1-1 tie against Penn Saturday.
With tie, Bruno falls out of contention for conference title with one game remaining By NICHOLAS WEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER
With only two games left in the season and sitting at third in the conference
INSIDE
table, the women’s soccer team had to pull out the victory over Penn Saturday if it wanted to remain in contention for the league title. But despite taking the 1-0 lead over the Quakers (9-3-3, 2-2-2 Ivy) early in the second half, Bruno (8-2-5, 3-1-2) could not maintain this one-goal margin. Penn equalized soon after, and the contest ended in a 1-1 draw after two overtimes. Heading into the game, the Bears
were well aware of their standing in the Ivy League and of the importance of this matchup. “We were still in the hunt to win the Ivy League, which is a great position to be in,” wrote Head Coach Kia McNeill in an email to The Herald. “With two games left, each game just gets more meaningful — for our team and certainly for our senior class. We have all seen the work that we have put in this year pay off and certainly want to end things on a high note.” The first half did not see much offensive production from either side. The Bears took only three shots during the period — a particularly strong effort in just the first minute by forward Celia Story ’19, a rare take by veteran defender Sydney Calas ’17 and finally one from rookie Abby Carchio ’20. The Quakers tallied four shots. Brown also had difficulty creating dangerous set plays against Penn’s defense. Bruno was unable to secure any corner kick opportunities in the first period, compared with the Quakers’ two. “I think we controlled the tempo » See W. SOCCER, page 2
Health to step down Dean Terrie Fox Wetle to leave behind legacy of establishing school, building strong faculty By HATTIE XU SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Dean of the School of Public Health and Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice Terrie Fox Wetle will officially step down from the position of dean Sept. 1, 2017. Fox will return as a professor of health services, policy and practice after taking a sabbatical. President Christina Paxson P’19 will chair the committee that will search for the school’s next dean, Fox said. Fox was recruited in October 2000 from the National Institutes of Health to work on the development of the School of Public Health, she said. Around 2000, the Department of Community Health — which managed the public health program at the
time — was searching for candidates to chair the geriatrics division, said Vincent Mor, former chair of the department and current professor of health services, policy and practice. Mor said he wanted to hire Richard Besdine, professor of geriatric medicine, from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Fox, who is married to Besdine, was then the deputy director of the National Institute on Aging in Washington, D.C. Mor worked to create the position of associate dean of medicine for public health and public policy for Fox so that he could bring the talents of both Fox and Besdine to Brown, allowing them to live together, he said. “In many respects, (Fox) was the real prize because she was a very skilled and experienced academics administrator,” Mor said. “Her (former) boss, who is the director of the National Institute on Aging, still is not happy with me that I stole her away from him.” » See FOX, page 2
WEATHER
MONDAY, OC TOBER 31, 2016
SPORTS Men’s tennis concludes first tournament season under new coach Tim Gray
SPORTS Men’s soccer drops to fifth in Ivy standings with two games remaining after OT loss at Penn
COMMENTARY Liang ’19: Selling food from other cultures not appropriation, but culinary roots should be respected
COMMENTARY Mitra ’18: U. should provide more resources to ease search process for off-campus housing
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NEWS
PAGE 2 • MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
» W. SOCCER, from page 1
COURTESY OF TERRIE FOX WETLE
Hired in 2000 to champion the development of the School of Public Health, Fox grew the faculty to over 250 members across disciplines. Colleagues lauded not only Fox’s professional achievements as a researcher and administrator but also her genial personality as a campus and community leader.
» FOX, from page 1 When Fox arrived, she and other administrators created a plan to grow the existing public health program into a graduate school, she said. The Department of Community Health was split into four programs: behavioral and social sciences, biostatistics, epidemiology and health services, policy and practice, said Karen Scanlan, director of public health communications. During the school’s development process, Fox led the expansion of faculty and the acquisition of a new building for the school, according to a community-wide email. The School of Public Health began with only 10 tenured faculty members in 2000 and now has 35 tenured professors and almost 250 total faculty members. Fox said her greatest achievement as dean was pulling together staff and faculty members who all share a vision: teaching and researching population health with the Brown values of interdisciplinary work, student involvement and community engagement, she said. Under Fox’s tenure, the School of Public Health was officially established
July 1, 2013 and received accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health June 18. The school has also built relationships with a number of community partners, including the Rhode Island Department of Health. “She took (the School of Public Health) from an idea and a dream into a reality,” Mor said. “She was spectacular at getting University administration to see her vision, adopt it and make it their own.” Scanlan calls Fox a “quadruple threat” as a clinician, researcher, teacher and community leader. Fox has continued to teach a class on qualitative research methods and mentor both students and other faculty members throughout her deanship, said Don Operario, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of behavioral and social sciences. In addition to the many roles in which she serves, Fox’s warmth and graciousness are profound, Scanlan said. Visitors to the School of Public Health often comment on how “accessible, in-touch and personable” Fox is with everyone around her, Operario said. Not only has Fox spearheaded the
development of the School of Public Health as an institution, she has also helped shape the school’s culture, Operario said. Her commitment to inclusion was evident in her advocacy of the school’s diversity and inclusion plan, he said. Fox saw the plan as “more than just a simple report,” Operario added. “It takes a special person to create a culture and a community in which people have a sense of identity and inclusion,” Operario said. “I like to think the School of Public Health has that, and it’s because of Fox’s leadership and the person she is.” Fox said that she, Paxson and Provost Richard Locke P’17 had been discussing her transition for a few months and were waiting for the right time to make the announcement. Paxson is currently in the process of identifying possible members to serve on the search committee, which will have student representation, Paxson wrote in an email to The Herald, adding that the search will be conducted nationally. Fox said she hopes her legacy will include the recruitment of a new dean who is committed to the progress of the school, adding that the next dean will “have the opportunity to put their
own imprint on the program, now that there is a much sturdier structure.” Paxson expects the next dean to continue building and improving the school’s 12 research centers as well as the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, she wrote. Other priorities include expanding undergraduate programs, diversity initiatives and community relationships, Operario said. After her sabbatical, Fox will be able to continue working on her passions of teaching and research, she said, adding that she had set a personal goal to get the school accredited before stepping down as dean. “Administrative jobs are incredibly complex, and they require a great deal of time and effort,” Fox said. “Right now, I’m only able to teach one class a year, and I’m not able to participate in research as much as I would like.” But Fox said she still looks fondly on her job, despite the tradeoffs that may come with administrative duties. “I love what I’ve done here, and it’s a joy to come to work every day,” Fox said. “I’m eternally grateful for this opportunity. It’s a blessing to love the work you do.”
Nick Thurston reads poetry Nick Thurston is a poet and non-fiction writer whose artworks are held in public and private collections internationally and he has published extensively. He is Programme Director of interdisciplinary undergraduate Fine Art at the University of Leeds and 2016 Visiting Research Fellow in Contemporary Writing at the University of Pennsylvania. This spring his guest-edited issue of the peer-reviewed Open Access journal Amodern was published; this summer a second edition of his most recent book of poetry, Of the Subcontract, was released by Coach House Books; and later this year his edited collection of Pavel Büchler's selected writings will be published by Ridinghouse.
Monday, 31 October at 7 pm McCormack Family Theater 70 Street, Providence Sponsored by Literary Arts at Brown University
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of the half for the most part,” McNeill wrote. “But I don’t think we were being aggressive enough to dig out second balls and go at players in the attack, which is probably why the stats showed to be a bit more even than the game actually was.” But Bruno’s sense of urgency returned during halftime, as the team surged offensively to produce a goal just eight minutes into the second half. The play started after midfielder Megan Grant ’19 carried the ball to the edge of the Quakers’ goal area and sent a looping cross into the box. Then, midfielder Amanda Lane ’19 was able to break away from her defender and meet the cross with a strong header, which beat Penn’s goalkeeper and put Bruno up 1-0. The goal marked the second of the season for Lane, as well as the first career assist for Grant. “I thought we did well generating dangerous opportunities — particularly in the second half,” McNeill wrote. The coaching staff made “some adjustments at halftime to encourage the team to get forward more. Games like these really come down to minimizing mistakes defensively and finishing your opportunities on the attacking end.” But the Quakers did not back down from this momentum switch. Over the next 15 minutes, Penn rallied with multiple counterattacks aimed at the Bears’ defensive line. In their third pass, the Quakers found a chink in Brown’s back four defenders. After the ball deflected into the penalty area during a Penn corner kick, Allie Trzaska sent a quick shot that evaded goalkeeper Christine Etzel ’19 to equalize the score. This was the last time any player on either team could find the back of the net. Despite the contest going into double overtime, the scoreboard read 1-1 as the referee blew the final whistle. “I think all in all it was a good game. It was certainly a hard fought battle for both teams,” McNeill wrote. “Even though today’s result was a tie, I think we have been consistently getting better every game. That is the most important thing for me right now: improvement.” Brown only has one game remaining in the 2016 season. The team will host Yale Saturday at 3:30 p.m. During the game, the team will focus on “taking changes and putting them on frame” and being “more clinical in front of the goal.” Unfortunately for the Bears, their hunt for the Ivy League crown has ended. Harvard — the current conference leader — has a three-point lead over the Bears, who currently have 11 points and sit in third place. But with only one game remaining, this difference cannot be bridged, as the Crimson will play its final game this weekend against the league’s second-place team, Columbia — which currently holds 13 points. Thus the best Brown can hope for is a second place finish, which is contingent on the team beating Yale and on Columbia losing to or drawing with Harvard. Nevertheless, this outcome would best last year’s third place result. “The season flew by, and this team has a lot to be proud of with all that we have accomplished this year,” McNeill wrote. “Our senior day game next week is particularly important because we get to honor the playing careers of our four seniors: Carly Gould (’17), Ella Warshauer (’17), Calas and Jackie Alois (’17). They have meant a lot to this program on and off the field, and it’s important that we send them off with a win.”
NEWS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
ELI WHITE / HERALD
University Librarian Harriette Hemmasi emphasized the importance of library resources for graduate students. The reading room is part of ongoing efforts to provide graduate students common spaces on campus.
» READING, from page 1 to the needs of grad students, Hemmasi hopes the University can rectify the longstanding issue of a lack of grad student-exclusive library space on campus, she said. Adrien Stoloff GS, vice president of social events in the Graduate Student Council, said the room marks an “important step” in creating a space for grad students to feel like “valued members of
Brown’s intellectual community.” “Sometimes you want to be in a space where the students you are TA-ing aren’t there,” he said, adding that the University has been responsive to grad students’ requests for more spaces on campus. The space has granted grad students more opportunities to interact and work with each other. Bryan Leyva MD’18 echoed Stoloff ’s sentiment. He said he “seldom (had) the chance to meet other grad students,” but the reading room
fosters a sense of community among grad students. Still, the reading room has not fixed all the problems some grad students have faced in finding spaces to work on campus. Peter McGrath GS, a grad student in the math department, said not all students in his program have offices within the math department building itself and have to, instead, work in the Sciences Library away from their colleagues. Though space allocation varies
by program, the University “can definitely allocate more space” for programs like his, he said. President Christina Paxson P’19 spoke at the ceremony about the role of graduate education at Brown and Brown’s image as a university-college. Paxson argued that while the concept of a “university-college” has been used as a critique of policy changes made at Brown, she has come to embrace the term because she believes it is a
reflection of Brown’s most fundamental values. Brown has “deeply integrated” the values of a university, such as “advancing knowledge and discovery” with the values of a college by “creating an intimate community of scholars,” Paxson said. She said the reading room is an important affirmation of the University’s support for the distinctive role graduate education and graduate students play at Brown.
COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY
The Corporation, the University’s highest governing body, reformed the selection process for young alumni trustees in its meeting this weekend.
» MEETING, from page 1 accepted gifts and pledges totaling
$91 million that were given since the body’s last meeting in May, Paxson wrote.
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SPORTS
PAGE 4 • MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
MEN’S SOCCER
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
In the second half of a 2-1 loss to Penn Saturday, Matthew Chow ’19 scored his sixth goal of the season. His total leads the team and tops scoring output from any player on the 2015 squad.
Overtime loss at Penn delivers blow to conference title hopes 2-1 overtime defeat marks first loss to Quakers in six years, Chow ’19 nets lone goal for Bears By EMILE BAUTISTA STAFF WRITER
The men’s soccer team dropped a tight match that went into overtime at Penn Saturday night by a score of 2-1. Firstyear Dami Omitaomu netted both goals for the Quakers (5-5-5, 3-2 Ivy), while Matthew Chow ’19 scored the Bears’ lone goal. It was an important match for two teams looking to keep pace with the top Ivy squads. As a result of its loss, Bruno (7-7-1, 2-2-1) dropped to fifth among the Ancient Eight with two games remaining in its season. Coming into the match, it was not only a matter of whether the Bears could stop a fairly prolific offense but also if they could take advantage of a
leaky defense. The Quakers sport the third highest scoring offense at 1.53 goals per game, thanks in large part to veteran Alec Neumann’s eight goals on the season — the second most among Ivy players. At the same time, the host also possesses the third-most porous defense, which allows 1.60 goals per game. Initially, it was clear that the two teams were evenly matched. The early stages of the game saw few offensive threats from either squad. Nagged by the absence of a couple key players, it was clearly going to be an uphill climb for the Bears. The game’s first shot did not come until the 11th minute by Chow, which required a save by the Quakers’ keeper.
The half continued with both teams still probing but missing that final edge. Penn’s first shot came in the 20th minute and fizzed wide right. The Quakers then had two shots on frame, both of which goalie Erik Hanson ’17 did well to save. At the end of a hesitant first stanza by both teams, the score was 0-0, with each team recording three shots. But after the break, the action picked up immensely. Within four minutes, Penn had its first goal. Just three minutes after having a shot saved by Hanson, Omitaomu received the ball from Neumann in the top right corner of the box. He shot it far post and beat Hanson this time around, giving the host the 1-0 lead. Brown replied by upping its offensive intensity. Between the 57th and 60th minutes, Eric Sugarman ’17, Louis Zingas ’18 and Chow each peppered a shot onto goal, two of which required saves
and one of which was blocked. Subsequently, Penn’s captain Sam Wancowicz nearly doubled his team’s advantage, but his shot flew wide. In the 83rd minute, Brown found the elusive equalizer. Chow took on and skillfully beat his defender and finished with a shot in the top left corner. It was his team-leading sixth goal of the season, eclipsing the most by any Bear from the 2015 campaign. Each team had two more shots before the whistle blew for the end of regulation. Tied at 1-1, the game was sent into sudden death. Much like the whole of the game, neither team could gain the upper hand in the extra period. The teams exchanged fouls — but not any shots — before Penn dealt the killer blow. On a set play, the Quakers advanced the ball forward, which ended up with
Omitaomu at the top left corner of the box. He created a little space and rocketed a shot past Hanson for the decisive goal. The whistle blew 2-1 in favor of Penn — its first victory over Bruno since 2010. In the end, though the Bears held the shot advantage at a tally of 12-10, they could not capitalize on all of their opportunities. With the overtime loss, the team fell six points behind Ancient Eight leader Harvard. With only two games left in the 2016 campaign, the Bears’ hopes for an Ivy League title are all but squashed. To give itself a chance — however slim — at an NCAA tournament bid, the team would need to emerge victorious in its last two matches. The Bears return to StevensonPincince Field Saturday night against Yale for their final home fixture of the season.
MEN’S TENNIS
Men’s tennis sees successful tournament season under new coach Tim Gray brings experience, focus on improvement as talented upperclassmen lead team By MATT MCKENNA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Before Anthony Arocho ’18 started his freshman year playing tennis at Brown, Dave Schwarz — the tennis coach who recruited Arocho when he was in high school — stepped down to coach the women’s team at Claremont-Scripps College. Brown brought in Bryan Koniecko, a young former All-American tennis player at Ohio State, to coach the team. This summer, Koniecko left to coach the women’s team at the University of Central Florida. “We’ve kind of had a spiral of head coaches flowing in and out of Brown,” Arocho said. Tim Gray was named the men’s tennis coach Sept. 1, six days before he met the team for the first time and practices began. The team played its first tournament Sept. 16, just over a week after Gray arrived. The tournament was “not ideal in terms of timing,” Gray said, adding that with a new team, he prefers at least three
weeks to prepare and become acquainted with the players before competitive play begins. But Gray’s 30 years of coaching experience — he has coached men’s and women’s teams at Widener University, Washington College, Florida Southern College, Eastern Michigan University, Auburn University and Bradley University — helped him bring stability to the team despite his impromptu arrival. “Since (Gray) has a lot of experience, he knows how to manage a team,” Arocho said. “You know what the guys are feeling, you know when they’re hurting, you know when they need to push a little bit harder, when (they) need to maybe take a couple days off.” Co-captain Lucas Da Silveira ’16.5 said Gray deftly balances encouragement with sternness: “After every practice he’s really trying to pump us up, but obviously when we need to improve, on the other hand, he’s firm and makes sure that we don’t get complacent.” Since he has been with the team, Gray said he has “been very impressed with the professionalism, the level of play, the way that these guys approach practice and competition, the way guys are stepping up to lead.” The team’s season consists of two parts: the tournament season and the
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Aaron Sandberg ’18 is one of six upperclassmen on the tennis team, which wrapped up its tournament season last week under new head coach Tim Gray. head-to-head season. The tournament season started with the Penn Invitational in Philadelphia Sept. 16-18, and it concluded with the ITA Regionals at Penn State Oct. 20-25. While key members of the team — including Da Silveira, Peter Tarwid ’18, Gregory Garcia ’17 and Will Bader ’20 — missed time with injury, Arocho, Da Silveira and Gray agree that the healthy players in tournament play show promise.
The fall season is “a process,” Arocho said. “Come springtime, when it’s our main season and we’re competing every weekend, that’s when the work we’re putting in now will start to show a little bit more.” After winter break, the tennis season resumes with head-to-head matches spanning from January to April. But during the interim between the tournament and head-to-head seasons, the team
trains diligently. The two-month period is the perfect time for the players to focus on optimizing their fitness in preparation for the spring. While last year’s team had no seniors and only two juniors, the team this year consists of two seniors, four juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen. Da Silveira said this makeup will yield a different kind of season: “The guys know the drill, and that goes a long way.”
TODAY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
benevolent begins
SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS
Fried Rice Station, Teriyaki Chicken, Yellow Jungle Curry JOSIAH’S
BLUE ROOM
Spicy Frisco Chicken Melt
Turkey Chili, Spinach and Feta Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Italian Meatball Subs, Seafood Cavatelli, Bulgur Stuffed Peppers, Rice Krispie Treats
Apricot Beef With Sesame Lo Mein Noodles, Rotisserie Chicken, Basmati Rice, Apple Pie
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Chicken Fajitas, Mexican Succotash, Beef Barley Soup, Spicy French Fries, Cupcakes
Sweet Sesame Beef and Ham with Vegetables, Stir Fried Tofu, Rotini Pasta, Italian Bread
sudoku
LILLY NGUYEN / HERALD
The band Paxsonator performs at Benevolent Records’ Halloween kick-off concert Saturday night. The new student-run record label represents student bands and solo performers such as Attic Wood and Now Hiring.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
crossword
“Sometimes you want to be in a space where the students you are TA-ing aren’t there.” — Adrien Stoloff GS
See reading on page 1.
CORRECTIONS An article in Friday’s Herald (“Watson Institute starts Humanitarian Innovation Initiative,” Oct. 28) referred to Zain Tayyeb as a man. In fact, Tayyeb is a woman. The Herald regrets the error. An article in Friday’s Herald (“Applicants struggle with structural flaws in pre-health advising system,” Oct. 28) referred to Jeremy Wortzel ’16 as a medical student. In fact, he has applied to medical school. A previous version of this article also referred to Nathanael Lee ’10 MA’10 as a medical student. In fact, he is a resident. The Herald regrets the errors.
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Build Your Social Confidence Group 2:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson, 516
CS Study Abroad in Budapest 4:25 P.M. CIT, 368
Halloween Social 4:30 P.M. List Art Building, 2nd Floor
Psychoanalysis in Today’s World 5:30 P.M. Pembroke Hall, 202
TOMORROW Russia and the U.S. Election 3:30 P.M. BERT, 015
Study Abroad 101 General Info Session 4:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson, 440
Under Armour Info Session 6:00 P.M. CareerLAB
Hack@Brown Workshop Design Theory 7:00 P.M. 3rd floor Sciences Library
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Reading cures homesickness To the Editor: I would like to complement Wednesday’s columns (“Esemplare ’18: Reading in the smartphone era,” Oct. 26 and “Johnson ’19: Hiding homesickness,” Oct. 26). Firstly, I would like to offer a solution to Johnson’s argument on homesickness: reading. Esemplare clearly lays down one of the advantages of reading as offering “a reprieve — however brief — from college lifestyles that can often be inordinately stressful.” This quote hit the nail on the head with regard to homesickness. From personal experience, I have gotten to address my homesickness by delving into literature from the motherland, Africa. Whenever I miss home, I have learnt to read short stories or novels by contemporary African authors, and in this way, I am able to engage with matters related to my home. Moreover, reading literature from home has helped me understand my identity and enabled me to acclimate and appreciate American culture. Next time the homesickness creeps in, it is my hope that one of the options you will consider to address it is literature. I hope that you embark on a wonderful journey and get to discover writers and great literature from home, wherever that is for you. Daniel Murage ’17
Comments
L IO R A M O R HAY I M
Re: ‘Lamp/Bear’ creator talks philosophy of art, Oct. 27
comic
Mr. Fischer’s lecture was terrible. I could not believe how terrible it was. The art of public speaking is not something an installment artist must master, but he (or she) should make an effort. Mr. Fischer was rambling. My sympathies go to Ms. Renia who must have wondered how in the world she could extract enough useful information from Mr. Fischer’s mutterings to craft an essay. His lack of speaking ability aside, I was struck by Mr. Fischer’s disdain for the audience, who had come to hear an artist shed some light on his craft in general and the “ursus” in particular. His comments appeared to boil down to a jaded “whatever.” The big blue bear, yeah, whatever.
The Daily Life of Alfonse | Patrick Huang
Joachim Krueger Professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences
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COMMENTARY MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Dining halls, food and cultural appropriation MARK LIANG staff columnist
Last year, Oberlin College students cried foul at what they called the “rampant cultural appropriation” of their campus dining services. Their proof? A soggy, wet pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw that was labeled banh mi. Disgusting. Thankfully, our banh mi served at Andrews is a little bit better, though I doubt that any native Vietnamese person would associate Andrews food with their heritage. I was surprised, nevertheless, to learn that the same company that caters Oberlin’s food, Bon Appétit Management Company, is the one that Brown Dining Services recently contracted with this year to “make dining services more sustainable and enticing.” Bon Appétit bills itself as an “onsite restaurant company known for its culinary expertise and commitment to socially responsible practices.” In reality, this means that the company’s offerings vary dramatically depending on the funds and facilities available from each of its clients. For example, I’ve eaten amazing catered food from Bon Appétit at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and companies with lauded cuisine (like Google) also use this same management com-
pany. Bon Appétit’s website writes that it serves a large clientele of colleges and organizations, including the University of Pennsylvania. This brings me back to good old Brown. Everyone, Brown Dining Services really does try. Some of my fondest memories of the Ratty include Southern cooking night or Italian night — themed dinners with pretty good food and a real nod to the culture that comes with it. But I also shudder when I see beef enchi-
food perfectly in order to serve it. What is the point of cuisine that can only be ‘authentically’ made or consumed by people who have lived their whole lives experiencing it? Chefs like Anthony Bourdain hate the word ‘authentic’ because it presupposes that food is only meant for a certain subset of people. Food should be for everyone. If it tastes good and is appreciated, what is the problem? The important distinction to
what? We make that kind of ChineseAmerican food because that’s the only shit you’ll buy. You want an authentic, expensive, Asian dining experience? Try Chengdu Taste. Places that actually deserve the wrath of my fellow people of color are those that attempt to standardize our food into their preconstructed narratives. This includes places like the Thayer Street restaurant Shanghai, which for some reason bills itself as “the authentic best Asian dining ex-
Sometimes I love Panda Express, but I know that the fried Kung Pao Chicken is not something my extended family would serve back in China.
ladas served in a wet meat sauce that I’m 99 percent sure was billed as tacos the week before. And Dining Services uses the same sauce in different menu items in order to call them ‘Asian’ or ‘tropical.’ The meat that goes into a banh mi here should not be sold a la carte as Thai BBQ chicken. That’s wrong. But while I think it’s valid to ask the school not to call its meager attempts at ethnic food ‘authentic,’ a school doesn’t need to execute
make here is that the ethnic food that Brown and Bon Appétit serve is not what most people associate with their own cultures. And that’s fine. Sometimes I love Panda Express, but I know that the fried Kung Pao Chicken is not something my extended family would serve back in China. Though, you could argue that Chinese-American food in itself has a rich and vibrant history that should also be appreciated. Some people call my food cheap and bland as shit. But you know
perience” but then inappropriately pushes a wide range of inaccurate cultural aesthetics like the dreaded Chinese takeout box. Brown has gotten better at making this distinction. I’ve seen a subtle change in the signage around Andrews, with the words “Asian-inspired” or “fusion” appearing in front of signs for bibimpap or curry. The workers at Brown don’t all have the capital or the time to learn food preparation at its traditional, native roots,
as some of the Oberlin protestors argued they should. There is nothing inherently wrong with serving Cajun pasta (tasty) or beef lo mein (not so tasty), as long as both students and administrators respect the roots from which these dishes come. If people have complaints about the dining here, it should be about the outdated infrastructure or the lack of fresh produce. It really does no good to get mad about signage or labels when people should know that college meals are often not representative of traditional ethnic cuisine. A California roll here is still sushi, even if the rice is mashed into a kind of white paste and the avocado is almost never used in old-school Japanese cuisine. I can still be Chinese and eat the Ratty’s chop suey without disgracing my homeland. But you, dear reader, are responsible for eating with your eyes open. Having socially responsible practices in food systems requires dedication from both those who eat and those who serve. Don’t claim to love Mexican food after you finish eating your Chipotle burrito. Delicious or not, food has a history, and recognizing cuisine for the nuanced phenomenon that it is gets us all one step closer to the table.
Mark Liang ’19 is stockpiling Ramen in his room and can be reached at mark_liang@brown.edu.
The off-campus housing headache MILI MITRA opinions editor As the fall semester comes to a close, many sophomores and juniors are now scrambling to navigate through one of the greatest mazes of the undergraduate experience: the challenge of finding off-campus housing. Given the sheer number of housing options available on College Hill, you would think that the process would be low on drama. Think again. I just signed my lease for the next academic year, so I can attest to how flawed the process is. It’s archaic, fragmented and unnecessarily complex, leaving many students feeling like cast-off pieces of driftwood in a sea of unenviable housing options. I may have somehow found a suitable place to live, but the entire search was emotionally draining and laughably dependent on luck. While there is an enormous number of sublets near campus, the reality is that many are unrenovated, overpriced or simply don’t live up to their descriptions. Many of the houses I visited looked a few decades older and several hundred square feet smaller than their pictures. And that’s too many, especially when most of them came with a heftier price tag than they warranted. The largest issue with the current off-campus housing system is that there is no formal or centralized resource to use when searching for houses. Though Brown is under no obligation to provide these resources for students living off campus, it could still help students as they search for appropriate leases — per-
haps for the first time in their lives. But the only Brown system in place is a website for auxiliary housing that belongs in the last century. Besides unregulated options like Craigslist or Zillow, there is no well-maintained central space to clearly see prices and pictures, forcing students to take time to investigate housing options. This is especially inconvenient for those who might be abroad in the fall and puts more pressure on students who are coordinating with large groups. The way the current system works is a prime example
concerns and protocols like rental insurance, it fails to walk students through the most variable and nerve-wracking part of the process: the search itself. Even more frustrating is the smokescreen surrounding pricing and fees. I suppose it’s expected — though not ideal — that landlords will try and conceal the costs of indirect fees like utilities and parking. The more egregious and student-specific issue is that Brown doesn’t publicize its non-resident fee ($780 this academic year), leaving students to
The way the current system works is a prime example of a market failure with asymmetric information skewed in favor of the monopolistic landlords.
of a market failure with asymmetric information skewed in favor of the monopolistic landlords. Brown does provide some guidelines and advice for students applying to live off campus, but these instructions are only offered during the off-campus permission application in October. That is well after the housing search begins; by October, many students have locked down leases, and most prime apartments may already be taken. In addition, though the web presentation covers safety
miscalculate the amount they’re really paying. When I first decided to live off-campus, a significant motivation was the potential to save on living expenses, but the non-resident fee adds yet another hurdle to doing so. Given the limited information and resources provided, I found myself relying on upperclassmen to advise my housemates and me through the process. They ultimately helped me find my current lease, but I was unnerved by all the different information I received from various sources. I was simulta-
neously told that I would never find a landlord who took care of utilities, that I would be besieged by rats and cockroaches within my first week off campus and that I would need to visit a realtor to successfully find anything on College Hill. Needless to say, none of these prophecies were accurate. If I had just been given more information by a single reliable source at the outset, I could have avoided much of the fear-mongering and potentially found a lease sooner. With the growing number of students looking to live off campus each year, it is time for Brown to address the information gap surrounding the rental search. I’m not arguing that the University needs to hold our hands through the whole process — after all, the main draw of living off campus is the independence and sense of freedom from the institution. But at the same time, the Office of Residential Life should provide more transparent information — particularly about the fees — that helps rather than hinders rising juniors and seniors. It should consider streamlining and developing its website to provide this information upfront and provide more resources in the late spring and early fall. A central list of sublets near campus would also be immeasurably useful. For many of us, off-campus housing is our first taste of real-world adulthood — or at least the quasi-independent twilight zone we will navigate as upperclassmen. Signing our first lease should feel exciting and momentous, not like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded.
Mili Mitra ’18 can be reached at mili_mitra@brown.edu.
SPORTS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016
FOOTBALL
Comeback effort falls short for Bruno against Quakers
Despite 14-point second-half surge, late interception ends upset bid for Brown By BEN SHUMATE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
After falling behind early, the football team mounted a comeback in the second half but fell just short, losing to Penn 21-14 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia Saturday. The Bears (2-5, 1-3 Ivy) trailed 21-0 at the half, as Penn (5-2, 4-0) showed why its offense ranks near the top of the conference in almost every statistical category. After two quarters, the Quakers had outgained the Bears 276-98. The half resembled Brown’s contest at Princeton earlier this season, in which the Bears fell behind early and struggled on both sides of the ball, eventually losing 31-7. Brown could not capitalize on two drives starting in Penn territory in the first quarter, missing a field goal and failing to make Penn pay for a fumble recovered by Sebastian Dovi ’19. Long drives by the Penn offense kept quarterback TJ Linta ’18 and the Brown offense on the sideline for a majority of the first half. “The first half was tough, I think we only ran twenty-something plays,” Linta said. But Brown came out looking like a different team in the second half,
especially on defense, holding Penn scoreless and limiting the Quakers to just over 100 yards. “In the second half (the defense) played lights out,” Linta said. “It allowed us to start putting drives together.” Richard Jarvis ’17 was strong all game for Bruno, recording eight tackles and two sacks and forcing a fumble early in the third quarter that was recovered by Will Twyman ’16.5 deep in Penn territory. With Penn’s offense suddenly disarmed, Linta found his groove, first putting Brown on the board with a quarterback sneak from one yard out after the turnover. It was Linta’s most successful game after a steady improvement in each of his four starts, finishing 22-for-34 passing for 216 yards. “I’ve built up confidence over the past few weeks I’ve been starting, and it’s just grown,” Linta said. Alex Jette ’17, Garrett Swanky ’17 and Anton Casey ’19 all had five receptions that day. “Our receiving core is one of the best in the Ivy League,” Linta said. “When you’ve got guys like that, it makes your job a little easier.” Swanky recorded 58 of his 100 receiving yards on one play, beating the Penn secondary and being knocked out of bounds at the 3-yard line after hauling in a long strike from Linta. The play set up Brown’s second touchdown, a two-yard run by Johnny Pena ’17 to pull Bruno within one score.
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Richard Jarvis ’17 pushes past a Cornell lineman in a game earlier this season at Brown Stadium. Jarvis recorded eight tackles and two sacks and forced a fumble Saturday, helping the defense pitch a shutout in the second half. After a missed Penn field goal, Brown had 89 yards to go and 6:57 left to even the score. Livingstone Harriott ’20 broke off a 23-yard run to move Brown into Quaker territory, one of several big runs for the firstyear. Harriott finished with 85 yards rushing on 16 carries, mostly coming from the wildcat formation. Facing 3rd-and-long with under two minutes remaining, Linta was intercepted in the back of the end zone after Swanky stumbled in pursuit of the deep pass, handing Penn its 10th
straight Ivy win dating back to last year. The Quakers sit on top of the conference with Harvard, though Saturday’s game was the closest winning margin for the team this season. Penn’s Justin Watson, the Ivy leader in receiving yards, gave the Brown defense trouble all game, starting with a 67-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter to get the scoring started for the Quakers. Watson finished with 210 yards receiving on 11 catches. Despite the loss, Bruno found
positives in the close defeat, especially in outscoring the Quakers 14-0 after a shaky first half. “I was really proud of how our team bounced back in the second half,” Linta said. “We really picked it up and it was good to see.” Brown falls back into a three-way tie for fifth place with Cornell and Columbia with three contests to go. The Bears take on Yale Saturday at Brown Stadium, hoping to snap a four-game losing streak against the Elis dating back to 2012.
MEN’S HOCKEY
Bears disappoint in pair of shutout losses in opening weekend Hindered by late start to season, penalties, Bruno stifled by Holy Cross, Providence College By ALEXANDRA RUSSELL STAFF WRITER
The men’s ice hockey team had a disappointing start to the season, losing to Holy Cross Friday and No. 14/15 Providence College Sunday 3-0 and 6-0, respectively. Friday night saw Bruno outshot 32 to 23, conceding two goals to the Crusaders (3-1-1, 1-0-1 Atlantic) in the second period and one in the third. The Bears proved unable to ward off the Friars’ (3-3-1, 0-1-0) dominant offense Sunday, taking 21 shots on goal compared with Providence’s 41. Sunday’s matchup against Providence was particularly difficult for Bruno. “We got overwhelmed a little bit by a team that plays the game very, very hard,” said Head Coach Brendan Whittet. “It was coming off a loss,” and the Friars are “more seasoned than we are at this point. That’s no excuse — we’ve got to get a lot better.” The Bears picked up a combined total of 14 penalties across the two games, including a five-minute major for interference at 0:09 in the second period Sunday. Bruno conceded two shorthanded goals in the pair of contests. Whittet highlighted another factor in the team’s difficulties.
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Sam Lafferty ’18 and the rest of Brown’s offense started off the 2016 season cold, being shutout twice and ceding the Mayor’s Cup to the Friars. “The issue is as an Ivy League school, we start three weeks behind everybody else,” he said. “I’m not talking about shape. I’m talking about mind — your mind reacting quickly, making decisions quickly.” Two goaltenders played in the contests. Gavin Nieto ’20 made 29 saves in his collegiate debut Friday and shared the net with Connor Maher ’18 against the Friars Sunday. Maher made seven
saves, taking Nieto’s place during the third period after 45 minutes of play. Whittet emphasized that his decision to pull Nieto hinged on Bruno’s defensive performance. “I wasn’t going to keep him in when I didn’t think defensively we were competing the way we needed to compete in front of our net, so that’s why I pulled him. It had nothing to do with me thinking he wasn’t competing or wasn’t working
to make some stops,” he said. With two away matchups taking place next weekend against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Union College, Whittet stressed the need to improve the team’s dynamic. “We’ve got to play with a much higher compete level; we didn’t play through people,” he said. “Then we got down, I just thought we got really disjointed, we got very individual,
and that’s natural, but it can’t happen. You’re not going to come back against a good hockey team by doing that.” Looking ahead, Whittet wants to concentrate on internal improvement. “We have to focus on ourselves. We’re still trying to find our lineup, we’re still trying to find guys that will play the right way, and we need much better efforts out of a majority of our team,” he added.