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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016
VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 109
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Woman sues U., deans after alleged sexual assault Court documents claim inadequate, inequitable, untimely response to 2013 sexual assault report By ELENA RENKEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
HUAYU OUYANG / HERALD
Community members congregated on the Quiet Green to support the national #OurCampus movement. They protested structural oppression and demanded that the campus serve as a sanctuary for undocumented people.
Students, faculty protest in light of election Protesters demand U. serve as sanctuary, increase funding for marginalized individuals By KASTURI PANANJADY SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Dressed in all black and bearing signs reading “Black Lives Matter,” “Stop deporting families” and “I stand with Standing Rock,” over 400 people descended on the Quiet Green Wednesday afternoon to call on the University’s
administration to protect its most vulnerable community members in light of the 2016 election results. Brown is one of the latest in a long list of college campuses nationwide to rally around the cry, “Whose campus? Our campus!” The Brown University Walkout also pledged solidarity to the #SanctuaryCampus movement — which calls on universities to serve as safe spaces for individuals at risk of deportation — and the water protectors fighting to prevent the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Despite the event’s proximity to
the election, Brown student organizers were careful not to engage in partisan politics during the walkout. Demonstrators were encouraged not to mention President-Elect Donald Trump or show support for former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton or other presidential candidates at the event. “We recognize that he was democratically elected to office. We’re more interested in abolishing the oppressive systems that gave Trump power,” a student organizer — one of the three » See WALKOUT, page 2
A former Providence College student filed a lawsuit Monday against Brown University and two deans who were both employed by the school at the time of her alleged sexual assault in November 2013. The suit claims that the University violated Title IX in its response to the complaints presented by the plaintiff, who goes by Jane Doe in court documents in order to protect her identity. “My client has been waiting a very long time for justice to be served,” wrote Wendy Murphy, Doe’s lawyer, in an email to The Herald. “I’ve been involved in Title IX litigation for 25 years, and I’ve seen firsthand how frequently women victims of violence on college campuses are denied due process.” “Brown takes every allegation of sexual misconduct seriously, including the allegations made by Jane Doe,” wrote Brian Clark, director of news and editorial development, in an email to The Herald. “We are confident in the decisions made at Brown related to Jane Doe’s allegations, and we will respond as appropriate through the legal process,” he added.
The incident and investigation This action follows the 2014 investigation of the incident, and the decision by a grand jury not to indict the football players. Doe met two Brown football players at Louie’s tavern, where she had one shot of alcohol. The police report stated that she felt “drugged” and “her arms and body felt limp,” the Providence Journal reported. One of the football players brought her from the bar into a taxi that took them to a Brown dorm. There, three Brown students — all members of the football team — sexually assaulted her “over an extended period of time,” according to court documents. Doe sought medical aid, reported the incident to the Providence Police Department and filed a complaint with Providence College, which banned two of the Brown students from its campus. As part of the Providence Police Department investigation in spring 2014, cell phones of the three Brown students were seized. One revealed a text message from the morning after the alleged assault saying “yo like classic (student C) tho … no invite just walks in and starts raping her,” according to court documents. Another phone held explicit photographs of Doe and one of the Brown students taken at the time of the alleged assault. Brown asked the two students at » See LAWSUIT, page 2
Depts. compete for funding in talent search UCS launches two staff Departments strive for in new research appreciation initiatives growth areas, interdiciplinary Online profiles, celebratory event to express student gratitude toward campus workers By ROSE SHEEHAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Undergraduate Council of Students discussed two new initiatives focused on student-worker relations at its meeting Wednesday night. “The workers on campus play a very large role in student life and student happiness,” said Viet Nguyen ’17, UCS president. “But there is often this divide between students and workers … and often not a lot of appreciation — or outward appreciation — of the people that help us.” One initiative is modeled after Georgetown University’s Unsung Heroes project, which profiles “workers on campus, providing stories of where they came from, their lives, whatever
INSIDE
they think is important,” Nguyen said. The council’s project, which is currently unnamed, will collect similar profiles of University workers and publicize their interviews on a Facebook page, said Yvonne Diabene ’19, director and chair of communications and head of the project. “This semester will be mainly aimed at collecting 10 to 20 stories so that we have an archive,” Diabene added. The interview process will be based on a set of questions “that we thought would give the staff the best opportunity to share what they thought was meaningful, what they thought was important,” Dhruv Singh ’20 said. The council will then begin publicizing the profiles at the beginning of the spring semester, Nguyen said. “This is a good way of providing students an entry point to acknowledging the humanity of people around us,” he added. The second initiative is a staff » See UCS, page 3
collaboration
By ELENA RENKEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Since administrative changes last year, the University has engaged in deeper discussions and negotiations with departments in their quests for funding. Departments across the sciences and humanities compete for resources that allow them to strengthen their programs, expand into new fields and attract top faculty hires and graduate students. “I have sympathy for the decisions that the University has to make, but we just simply have to get in there and fight for our share,” said Brian Meeks, chair and professor of Africana studies. “The fact is that it’s a fight.” Not all department chairs emphasize the funding process when laying out the strengths of their departments. All departments rely on other factors to draw top faculty members and graduate students to Brown, including the
ANITA SHEIH / HERALD
Departments submit funding requests to the University administration in order to attract top graduate students and faculty members. University’s collaborative spirit. Some also stress particularly deep research in specific areas or unique programming. Ultimately, attracting the talent that boosts departmental quality is a balancing act. “We try to get them to understand the collaborative nature of Brown, the friendly nature of Brown. But we also have to put resources on the table to convince them,” said Jack Elias, dean of medicine and biological sciences.
The importance of competition The value placed on competition with peer institutions varies by department, as some find other priorities similarly meaningful or even more urgent. “We would like to think that competitiveness is not the main factor,” Meeks said. “We have a sense of what we consider important.” For the Africana studies department, acquiring the best graduate students is especially crucial. “We are reproducing ourselves,” he added. » See FUNDING, page 3
WEATHER
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016
ARTS & CULTURE ‘Moonlight’ explores intersection of black, gay identities through protagonist Chiron
ARTS & CULTURE RaMell Ross discusses how audiences interact with art, photography
COMMENTARY Friedman ’19: Election of Trump shows moral shortcomings of United States, rest of world
COMMENTARY Liang ’19: Civic involvement provides opportunity for engagement after party failure
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
» WALKOUT, from page 1 coordinators who asked to remain anonymous for fear of online abuse and threats — told The Herald. The organizers emphasized that Trump’s presidency is symptomatic of widespread white supremacy, racism, misogyny, xenophobia and Islamophobia, among other forms of marginalization. “While this march is not solely directed at the election results, we recognize that recent events have instilled fear of attacks against marginalized communities,” said another student organizer. For many students at the walkout, the large turnout affirmed their faith in students’ ability to comfort and advocate for each other. “As a Muslim American, I wanted to know that this a place where I am not threatened,” said Ahmed Ashour ’19. The walkout organizers also used the event as a platform to present a list of demands to administrators at University Hall on behalf of Muslim, Southwest Asian and North African, Southeast Asian, black, undocumented, native and LGBTQ+ community members. The demands detail the many ways in which the administration can actively take measures to support students, staff members and faculty members, from hiring therapists of color at Counseling and Psychological Services to refusing to voluntarily share information with the Immigration and Custom Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. President Christina Paxson P’19 and Provost Richard Locke P’17 were not present inside University Hall when the authors of the demands entered the building with the intention of presenting their list, confirmed student organizers. As the crowd chanted “Administration, come out!” the organizers taped their demands to the president’s door. “The administration does not wish to listen to us. ... We chanted for over
» LAWSUIT, from page 1 the center of the investigation to leave campus in April 2014, and they were eventually dismissed from the football team. One of the students connected to the assault withdrew from the University, but the other two returned to campus in the fall, The Herald previously reported. Yolanda Castillo-Appollonio, associate dean of student life, director of student conduct and vice president of campus life and student services, informed Doe that the University would lead an “inquiry” to determine if any of the three students connected to her case violated Brown’s Code of Student Conduct. This occurred more than seven months after Doe reported to University officials that she had been sexually assaulted, according to the documents.
HUAYU OUYANG / HERALD
Students at the protest demanded that the University admit more undocumented applicants and direct funding to bolster student safety. 10 minutes. No one came out,” Our Campus wrote on the event’s Facebook page Wednesday night. “We refuse to let Brown tell our narrative of resistance.” “We went to U. Hall, and we told them that it was our campus, and just to prove the point, I took their last damn cookie,” said an organizer upon exiting the building. The walkout then opened the floor to everyone present to come forward and share their experiences with the rest of the campus. “I’ve been told by white therapists that it is my duty to explain racism to white people. I even once had to explain that racism exists,” said Anica Green ’17, the BlogDailyHerald editor. “CAPS needs to find people of color to support students of color.” “Before you just tell someone like me that everything is going to be okay, you
should check your privilege,” said Sabiya Ahamed ’18. The demands also include increased funding for the Muslim Students’ Center and greater representation of Muslim international students and students racialized as Muslim, including students from Palestine and Syria. Central to the students’ list of demands is the idea that the University can be a sanctuary, a proposition that Paxson and Locke addressed in an op-ed published in The Herald Wednesday. “The petitions suggest that Brown (and other universities and colleges) may have a special ability to prevent law enforcement officials from entering campus to enforce immigration policy,” Paxson and Locke wrote in the op-ed. “Based on consultation with legal counsel, we have come to understand that private universities and colleges do not have such protection to offer
Doe repeatedly requested “response and redress pursuant to Title IX” but was informed by the defendants that Brown would “proceed with its inquiry only under the student disciplinary code,” according to court documents. This led Doe to file a complaint against Brown with the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, which was accepted and is still pending. After Doe requested an update in April 2016, Brown informed her that an investigation had not been completed, and there would be no disciplinary action toward the three Brown students connected to her case, according to court documents.
senior associate dean of student life when the incident occurred. Both deans were “responsible for initiating and overseeing University response and redress to acts of sex-based discrimination,” according to court documents. The five counts listed in the court documents allege violations of Title IX, the Rhode Island Civil Rights Act and the Rhode Island Constitution. Brown’s policies on sexual assault “deviated substantively from the Title IX standards,” according to court documents. “Brown has segregated out only sexbased harms for second-class redress under second-class policies,” wrote Wendy Murphy, Doe’s lawyer, in an email to The Herald. She hopes this case will lead Brown to revoke its policy and establish an “equitable” policy that treats issues of sexual misconduct in the same way it handles issues of “assaults based on other protected class categories, such as race and national origin.” “Framing sexual assault as a women’s civil rights issue will help ensure that victims are treated as fully equal campus citizens,” Murphy wrote, “while sending a strong message to all students that violence against a single woman is also an offense against the entire Brown community.” The suit also alleges that Doe did not receive a “prompt and equitable grievance hearing, which subjected her to a hostile education environment and denied her access to educational opportunities,” according to court documents. The University told Doe June 21 that it “never completed any investigation and that it had abandoned all disciplinary action
The case The suit names two defendants in addition to the University: Castillo-Appollonio and Jonah Allen Ward, who was the
legal sanctuary from members of law enforcement or Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” “We appreciated that they reached out and talked with lawyers,” a third student organizer said, adding that while the coordinators understood the legal difficulties referenced in the op-ed, the University could do more to alleviate the concerns of students, staff members and faculty members concerned about deportation. In response to the demands, Locke sent an email to the organizers, which was obtained by The Herald. “The University community has been working very hard over the last year to implement the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, which has the specific aim of confronting the issues of safety, value, respect, equity and justice raised in your document,” he wrote in the email. “We
look forward to working with you and others to continue to advance this work.” Looking ahead, organizers envision that a three-member, paid student panel chosen by the Undergraduate Council of Students will deliver their demands while holding the University accountable. With Thanksgiving break around the corner, some students grappled with the difficulty of continuing these conversations on oppression with family members back home. “We are fighting for all the little kids in this country who look like us,” said Nika Salazar ’16. “So when you go home over Thanksgiving break, I need you to talk to your misogynistic uncle and that racist grandfather.” Coordinators are also pushing students to convince their families and alums to withhold donations to the University until their demands are met.
COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY
The University stands accused of violating Title IX in its handling of a 2013 sexual assault case according to a lawsuit filed Monday. against the three Brown University football players accused of sexually assaulting Ms. Doe.” Because of this lack of “effective response, … Doe was forced to withdraw from Providence College.” In addition, as a result “of the defendants’ actions and inactions, Doe was in fear for her safety and well-being on campus … because Brown students and/ or associates of the men who assaulted her were not prohibited from being near her or contacting her and her friends,” according to court documents. “The defendants violated state and federal law both before and after Ms. Doe was
sexually assaulted, acted with deliberate indifference (and) failed to promptly and effectively investigate and respond to the assault,” according to court documents. The suit requests that the court grant compensatory damages to cover Doe’s “injuries, damages and losses,” including mental and physical injuries, damage to her education and “loss of enjoyment of life.” It asks for a declaration that Brown’s sexual misconduct policy violates victim’s rights and does not comply with Title IX. It also requests an injunction requiring Brown to enforce Title IX when “severe or pervasive” sexual misconduct is reported.
NEWS
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
» FUNDING, from page 1 In the French studies department, finding students and faculty members who will fit well into Brown’s community is a significant factor in recruitment, but this process works in tandem with the search for the best candidates. “We’ve not had to sacrifice quality for fit at all,” said Lewis Seifert, chair and professor of French studies. Though the epidemiology department also wants to recruit the best students, it values mentorship greatly. “We only accept a student if there’s a faculty member here who can mentor them so they can stay in their area,” said Alison Field, chair and professor of epidemiology. The focus on rivalry and growth has a particularly strong presence in some departments — especially in some of the quickly evolving science departments, competitiveness is prized. For small departments, like biostatistics, that strive to achieve an international presence, competitiveness is critical. “We need to count on every one of our faculty (members) being very good at what they do,” said Constantine Gatsonis, chair and professor of biostatistics. Brown’s applied math department is ranked within the top five of the country, said Björn Sandstede, chair of applied mathematics. “We would like to keep it at that level,” he added. “We don’t want to become a weaker department.” Competitiveness is very important to the computer science department, said Ugur Cetintemel, chair of computer science. But “high aspirations about research shouldn’t come at the expense of our teaching,” he added. “There’s not even a purpose for having a department if you’re not competitive,” Gatsonis said, “not at a university like Brown.” Where size matters and money counts While departments across the humanities and sciences hope to expand in the coming years, many feel that their relatively small size puts them at a disadvantage when competing with departments at peer universities for top talent. The neuroscience department has grown in recent years, but “we could certainly be larger,” said Barry Connors, chair and professor of neuroscience. “In a university that’s not as big as some of the places we like to compete with, that’s a challenge,” he added, noting that size is a large factor in department rankings. A new building for the Brown Institute for Brain Science may be
UCS, from page 1 member appreciation day, which will tentatively take the form of a breakfast or lunch event for campus staff, Nguyen said. “We also wanted to do something that’s more than just UCS putting on a food event,” he added. “One of the ideas that we had (was) having stands on the Main Green where students can write about why they’re appreciative,” as a way of facilitating an exchange between students and staff members, he said. The council has funding for the project but is concentrating on ways to make the event more meaningful, such as including performances from student groups and having students serve staff members. “The one thing I don’t want to happen is for the staff (members) who attend this to just feel as though we or the administration or someone is just checking off a box,”
constructed, but the project is unlikely to come in the immediate future. “There have been serious discussions for more than a year, but at this point there’s no concrete plan that I know of,” Connors said. “Growth in the experimental sciences is impossible without significant space.” “We’re never happy with the way we are,” Meeks said, adding that the Africana studies department is “too small to achieve a critical mass.” Meeks defined “critical mass” as the point at which the department functions optimally, with sufficient faculty members to serve on its various committees. Each year, the graduate program in modern culture and media admits only three students from a pool of approximately 200 applicants, said Lynne Joyrich, chair and professor of modern culture and media. The department hopes that the Brown Arts Initiative, an institution that promotes interdisciplinary work among programs and departments in the arts, will spur MCM’s growth. Like many departments at Brown, the computer science department does very well in recruiting graduate students. But it may lose candidates based on the smaller size of the department compared to those at peer schools or due to the smaller size of Providence compared to other cities. “It’s hard to compete in certain cases,” Cetintemel said, adding that more practical areas like robotics and systems demand greater size. The growth that so many department chairs desire often depends on University funding, but the budget is limited, and not all requests can be granted. A new internal review process was added to the University’s budgeting process last year. “We realized that we needed to have a more integrated budgeting process,” said Kevin McLaughlin P’12, dean of the faculty. “There was a need for more coordination from the provost’s office. They needed to have a better visibility into the different budgets.” This updated process allows for “much more of a real discussion and negotiation” between the central administration and departments, McLaughlin said. Previously, departments had much less time to advocate for themselves with the administration. Now, hours of negotiation between department heads and the internal review board inform the board’s presentation to the University Resources Committee, which makes budgeting recommendations, according to the 2016-2017 University Resources Committee proposed operating budget. The University does not prioritize said Naveen Srinivasan ’19, chair of the student activities committee. UCS is also focused on finding a time for the dinner that will work for as many staff members as possible, Srinivasan said. “Our priority should be reaching as many staff members as we can,” said Tim Ittner ’18, vice president of UCS. The council also discussed its ongoing initiative to stock free tampons and pads in all non-residential campus bathrooms. UCS hopes to institutionalize the provision of sanitary products through conversations with Facilities and a plan for long-term funding, said Lisa Schold ’19, the liaison between UCS and the Undergraduate Finance Board. UCS also considered switching to a cheaper brand of products, reevaluating its restocking schedule and tracking the use of its tampons and pads.
departments that bring in funding, McLaughlin said. “There are many departments in the University that don’t have external funding streams,” he added, citing some social sciences and humanities departments. “We don’t expect them to bring in any money.” But for disciplines in which there is significant sponsorship available, the University does expect that some funding be brought in from external sources. School of Public Health faculty members are expected to fund half their salaries through grants, Gatsonis said. Meeks noted that grants are harder to find and obtain outside of the physical and life sciences. “We do complain that more needs to be invested in this department,” Meeks said. “Funding is never enough,” Cetintemel said, and even though the University is supportive, it is challenging to keep up with the expansion of computer science departments at competing schools like Harvard and Princeton. “The administration gave us a growth plan, so we’ll also be growing, but not at peer rates,” he added. Unique programs and collaboration One way Brown sets itself apart from competitors is its collaborative work, said Edward Hawrot, associate dean of biology. “Faculty (members) come and visit, and they see discussions and faculty (members) across departments working together in ways that you frankly don’t see in many other places where there’s much more of a cutthroat atmosphere,” Hawrot said. Brown’s open environment is one of its greatest strengths, said Christopher Kahler, chair and professor of behavioral and social sciences. The interdisciplinary and friendly environment fostered by Brown not only strengthens individual departments, but also attracts new students and faculty members with its promise of innovative work. The MCM department has worked alongside the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, as did the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women and the Middle Eastern studies department, among others, Joyrich said. Through these efforts, the department has offered cross-listed courses and expanded its scope. The Humanity Centered Robotics Initiative, a robotics effort involving participation from computer science, cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences and the School of Public Health, investigates the way robots interact with
humans, Cetintemel said. The Brown Institute for Brain Science forges interdepartmental collaborations and works with the Norman Prince Neurosciences Institute to build connections with hospitals in the surrounding area, Connors said. These links have broadened the applications of the neuroscience department’s work, allowing for more clinically relevant research. “Enhancing the competitiveness is certainly about building a stronger department, but it’s just as important to build a larger community,” he added. In addition to the abundance of collaboration taking place at Brown, many of the University’s departments are unique in and of themselves. Atypical structures separate them from departments at peer institutions, making them desired and competitive programs. “It’s almost unique to Brown to have these hybrid sorts of departments,” Connors said. The biology and medicine departments at Brown have an atypical structure, Elias said. The faculty members in the biology program also act as the “basic science arm of the medical school.” The combined nature of the biology departments and the Alpert Medical School is an attraction for many people, but it doesn’t appeal to everyone, Connors said. “If you want to do research, and that’s the only thing you care about, then Brown isn’t for you.” The Africana studies department has an unusual structure that incorporates arts, history and social theory, as well as its humanities initiative and the Rites and Reason theater program. There’s no other institution like it, Meeks said. The MCM department also features an eclectic set of programming difficult to find at peer universities. Some of the departments with more traditional structures distinguish themselves from competitors by finding niches and strengthening themselves in those areas. Brown’s “unparalleled” epidemiology department shows a rare focus on youth, said Field, who worked at Harvard for 20 years before coming to Brown to expand her own research on children. “It’s very vibrant and exciting, and I really can’t think of another institution in the country where there are so many people focused on children,” she added. The behavioral and social sciences department concentrates on studying certain specific health behaviors, such as alcohol addiction and HIV, Kahler said. The depth and specificity of that research makes the department competitive.
Future directions Though many departments have developed specialties to make themselves competitive, faculty members in given departments continue to pursue new avenues in their fields of research to remain abreast of quickly developing disciplines. One factor that goes into determining which requests for new faculty members are granted searches is the extent to which a specific subfield in the department needs to be strengthened, McLaughlin said. Similarly, Elias and Hawrot consider the way science is changing and the latest developments in certain fields, among other factors, to help them decide which new faculty requests from their departments to prioritize. Two or three years ago, the search for a new faculty member in the biology and aging area produced such high-quality applicants that the University was convinced to offer funding for two positions instead of one, Hawrot said. The neuroscience department has been making a concerted effort to expand its studies on the molecular and cellular levels. Currently, the department is recruiting a well-known molecular neuroscientist who will help balance the representation of different areas within the department, Connors said. A host of recent and upcoming initiatives may help distinguish Brown’s departments from those at peer institutions, making the University a more compelling option for graduate students and faculty members alike. The University’s new Data Science Initiative will make the biostatistics department more competitive among its peers, Gatsonis said. MCM hopes to create a new graduate certificate program, following in the footsteps of gender and sexuality studies and science and technology studies, Joyrich said. Some departments aspire to enhance their programs through diversity and inclusion measures. By making classes more accessible to undergraduates, the epidemiology department hopes to gain strength through increased diversity of students, Field said. Kenneth Wong, chair of education, hopes to attract a more diverse pool of students by paying for students of color who are admitted to the master’s program to visit campus, he said. The Africana studies department is in the process of hiring a new faculty member who specializes in sub-saharan Africa and will greatly enrich the department, Meeks said. “We think it shines now, but it could shine even brighter,” he said. “With that, I think I’d smile a little more.”
ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
RaMell Ross discusses work on race in rural Alabama Artist’s photographs, new film on local Southern life relate to broader, national issues of race, identity By ETHEL RENIA STAFF WRITER
RaMell Ross, professor of practice in the visual arts department, gave a talk yesterday at the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts about his exhibition titled “South County, AL.” Ross’ exhibition “South County, AL” focuses on the black experience in the rural South. Raised in West Virginia, Ross was brought up in a predominantly white culture. When he decided to move to Alabama to work with youth, his social circles advised him not to go, as Alabama and the rest of the deep south was perceived to be an unwelcoming place for an African-American man. “Everything I’d ever known about the South came from television or from a book,” he said. His first and biggest obstacle when photographing the black community in Greensboro, Alabama was to deconstruct his own
preconceived notions of how black people experience life in that region. When he first tried to photograph his subjects, he did so from the perspective of a northerner capturing “a really small southern town,” Ross said. He did not realize that the work he was producing was a “literal representation of a lot of issues,” he said. In 2012, Ross began his project photographing South County, Alabama. The difference between this series of photographs and his previous work was that the angle with which he photographed his subjects was executed in a new way. “I had to use an image that forced the viewer to create the narrative of the picture,” Ross said. Ross would not simply take a picture of one of his students. He would take a picture of her partially obstructed by a bush. In this way, the viewer is not simply seeing her as a black girl from the deep south, but as a subject with a narrative. “You have to create the meaning. And if you create the meaning, then it’s a reflection of you, not her,” Ross said. “It is really personal and really scary to me that if you take a picture of someone, the only thing you can
truly transmit is what the viewer is willing or capable to take in,” he said. In this way, photography is extremely dependent on its viewer, and the artist can only control so much of what their audience takes away from it, he added. To take pictures of a southern disenfranchised black community, particularly vulnerable to preconceived notions or stereotypes, Ross made an effort to “complicate (his) pictures of black people.” By making his pictures less straightforward, he is making “South County, AL” a reflection of the viewer and the viewer’s gaze rather than a reflection of the subjects themselves. During his talk, Ross also presented a feature-length film that he directed, shot and edited titled “Idiom (Hale County this Morning, this Evening).” The film attempts to capture the reality of two of his students living in the heart of Greensboro’s AfricanAmerican community. “I was struck by the depth and beauty of such highly personalized insight into a group of Alabama youth, and it literally took my breath away,” said Wendy Edwards, department chair of the visual arts department.
LILLY NGUYEN / HERALD
RaMell Ross, professor of practice in the visual arts department, spoke about his photography exhibition, which explores life in Alabama.
‘Moonlight’ celebrates power of empathy, humanity Film explores black identity through protagonist’s struggle with poverty, sexuality By DANIEL WAYLAND SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Chiron, the subject of Barry Jenkins’ superlative “Moonlight,” says very little. When he does speak, words tumble furtively from the corners of his mouth, as if frightened by the intimate secrets they might betray. His voice aches with pathos. “Moonlight” astounds in its ability to empathize with Chiron’s anguish, offering both a searing social commentary and a celebration of blackness. Before the 10-year-old Chiron, played by Alex Hibbert, utters a single line on screen, he’s already been labeled. Schoolyard bullies chase him throughout the barren landscape of Miami’s Liberty City, hurling both stones and insults in his direction: “little,” “bitch” and “faggot.” When he finally speaks in the following scene, his words bleed with pain: “My name is Chiron.” This line is stated as more of a question than a statement, which proves more tragic than his peers’ abuse. But “Moonlight” answers Chiron’s question with a resounding ‘Yes!’ Jenkins’ subject is black, gay, impoverished and lives with a drug-dependent single mother. But more importantly, his name is Chiron, and for Jenkins, those preceding tropes represent little more than secondary shades in the vibrant tapestry of Chiron’s humanity. To be clear, Jenkins doesn’t humanize Chiron. As A.O. Scott stresses in his
New York Times review, humanizing Chiron implies that he “has ever been anything other than human.” “Moonlight” is the year’s best film precisely because it understands this distinction. Jenkins’ camera considers Chiron with empathy and grace, never allowing the audience to doubt or cheapen his basic human dignity. “Moonlight” chronicles Chiron’s life in three chapters — from naive child to tortured adolescent to excessively masculine adult. The script draws inspiration from Tarell Alvin McCraney’s autobiographical play, “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.” Jenkins grasps McCraney’s intent, recognizing the value of repainting black lives with bright color. His camera finds vivid tones of blue in nearly every frame. In painting a black world blue, Jenkins participates in a kind of overt symbolism that forces the audience to accept a vision of black vitality, etched with soul and poetry. Following the aforementioned episode of bullying, Chiron turns to a local drug dealer named Juan, played by Mahershala Ali, to fill the parental void left by his crack-addicted mother and non-existent father. Juan and his girlfriend provide a nuclear familial unit, offering a safe space Chiron can call home. More importantly, they offer compassion. Juan’s appearance may conform to expectations of callous masculinity, but he demonstrates profound tenderness and honesty toward Chiron when the young child asks him: “Am I a faggot?” In the following scene, Juan takes Chiron into the ocean to teach him how to swim. He cradles Chiron’s head in his hands, allowing a black boy to bathe
in blue. In the film’s second chapter, an adolescent Chiron, now played by Ashton Sanders, begins to come to terms with his sexuality. While this makes him a target of violence in the schoolyard, he finds peace in a moment of intimacy on the beach with a friend named Kevin, played by Jharrel Jerome. Jenkins does his best work in this scene, as the teenagers play around the edges of their vulnerability. They are two wounded souls, hesitantly exploring each other through a series of encircling advances and retreats. They endure the torture of code-switching, stumbling through a conversation about crying by repeatedly reverting back to gruff, masculine vernacular. Their interaction finally turns sexual, but it is not until Kevin allows a weeping Chiron to nestle into his shoulder that the moment proves radical in its empathy for black men. By the third stanza, Chiron, now played by Trevante Rhodes, has transformed into a hulk of a man. Yet underneath his armor still lies a latticework of scars that Jenkins carefully exposes over the course of the third act. Jenkins’ vehicle for this uncovering is a reunion with Kevin, now played by André Holland, in a diner. A gentle nostalgia colors the scene in soft hues, and the blue light from a soda freezer makes the fringes of the screen crackle with life. Years of unspoken emotion hover on the precipice of being disclosed, but both men understand that honesty leaves them vulnerable to attack. They instead express themselves through jukebox lyrics. Barbara Lewis’ “Hello Stranger” saturates the scene in a warm glow. Their encounter pulses
ANITA SHEIH / HERALD
The film ‘Moonlight’ explores the life of Chiron as a gay, black man in three phases of his life: childhood, adolescence and adulthood. with kinetic energy. “You’re the only man that’s ever touched me,” Chiron finally tells Kevin, in a moment of excruciating candor. Chiron’s sexuality provides the film’s narrative force, and Jenkins handles the subject material with sensitivity and aplomb. But he also resists the urge to let sexuality define his characterization of Chiron, and the film ultimately delivers a more universally empathetic message. At its heart, “Moonlight” is a meditation on the elemental need for
compassion, and the trauma visited upon (mainly black) men in the absence of affection. The film finds sanctuaries in fleeting vignettes: the innocence of a childhood wrestling match in the grass, the support of a surrogate father’s arms during a swimming lesson and the tenderness of a friend’s caress under the light of the moon. Jenkins understands that pain is tactile — to know Chiron is to touch him. “Moonlight” reminds men that it’s okay to be held, and in empathy lies humanity.
Got something to say? Leave a comment online! Visit www.browndailyherald.com to comment on opinion and editorial content.
TODAY
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
wa l k i n g o u t
SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS
Pizza: Na’cho Pizza, Spicy Five Cheese and Garlic, BBQ Bam Bam Make-Your-Own Paninis JOSIAH’S
BLUE ROOM
Make-Your-Own Quesadillas
Turkey Chili, Fire Roasted Veggie Chicken Tomato Curry
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Grilled Turkey Burgers, Eggplant Parmesan Subs, Cobb Salad Bar, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars
Baked Pork Chops, Blackened Tilapia, Potage Watercress Soup, Cappuccino Brownies
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Potato Skins with Toppings Bar, BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars
Pot Roast Jardiniere, Oven Roasted Tofu, Ham Fried Rice Bowl, Pumpkin Pie
sudoku
ALEJANDRO SUBIOTTO / HERALD
Students organized a walk-out to protest systems of oppression and presented a list of demands to the University, such as supporting the #NoDAPL movement and making all buildings accessible.
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ACROSS 1 Word before dark or hours 6 Black Friday event 10 Prefix with fall 14 Where towels are the usual attire 15 Nice price? 16 Rob of “Parks and Recreation” 17 *Ten times the seller’s cost, say 19 Actor McGregor 20 “All My __ Live in Texas”: George Strait song 21 Pre-A.D. 22 Waiters take them 24 Comes down hard 27 Come to terms 28 Tin alloy 31 “__-ho!” 33 Homeric war epic 34 *Green labyrinth 38 Dynasty known for porcelain 39 Sleepiness inducers 40 Draft animals 41 *Groundbreaking desktop publishing software 43 Golfer Sam 44 Less than zero 45 Competes in a bee 46 Where dos are done 49 How the rain in Spain falls on the plain 51 Warning to a pest 53 Once named 54 Slangy morning drink 57 Provo’s state 58 Some buried treasure, or what are literally found in the answers to starred clues 62 Top-notch 63 Lake near Lake Ontario 64 College big shots 65 Ivan IV, for one 66 “Das Kapital” author 67 “The King” of golf, to fans
DOWN 1 1968 U.S. Open champ 2 Imitation 3 Harbor towers 4 Hydrocarbon suffix 5 Spoke absentmindedly 6 Spending outing 7 Genesis craft 8 Actress Lucy 9 Former Montreal player 10 *Fundraising receipts 11 Dinghy propeller 12 Conscious (of) 13 Uptight 18 Excellent server 23 All-night party 24 *Child star’s parent 25 Maria __, former queen of Hungary 26 Passover meal 28 MTV’s “__ My Ride” 29 Director Kazan 30 Chicken morsel 32 Justice Dept. heads
34 Hooey 35 It may follow a Salchow 36 Intensity 37 Conclusions 39 Prohibition 42 Revealing skirt 43 Dieter’s sweetener 45 Dagger of yore 46 Powerlifter’s move 47 Roadsters, e.g.
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See walkout on page 1.
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Inclusive Teaching in STEM 12:00 P.M. Sheridan Center
Oxford and Cambridge Study Abroad Information Session 4:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson, 440
How Race Matters in College Academic Performance 4:30 P.M. Salomon Center, 001
Election Teach-In and Conversation 5:00 P.M. Smith-Buonanno Hall, 106
TOMORROW Urban Studies Bus Tour with Stefano Bloch 3:00 P.M. Maxcy Hall
Flamenco Workshop 5:30 P.M. Rochambeau House
Black Heritage Series Dinner 6:00 P.M. Campus Center, Multipurpose Room
Fall Dance Concert 8:00 P.M. Ashamu Dance Studio
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Gantz’s letter misses many points To the Editor: Both as a Brown alum and as a former managing editor of The Herald, it was with great disappointment that I read Monday’s letter to the editor written by Lindsay Gantz ’17.5 (“Letter: Hermano Fortes feature falls short,” Nov. 14). Gantz seemed to miss entirely a key part of The Herald’s mission, the point of the feature itself and what it means to be a member of the Brown community. First, regarding The Herald, the publication’s mission statement includes the following: “As a teaching organization, we are committed to attracting and training a diverse staff, representative of the Brown student body, and helping them develop skills they will use for the rest of their lives.” The best way to improve as a writer and reporter is to get reps, and Cal Barash-David ’19, by putting himself out there and writing for The Herald, is starting to do just that. I note that the piece was his third byline. I commend him for taking that first step and wish him luck as he continues to improve his craft, whether he seek a career in journalism or not. I would suggest to Gantz that The Herald’s teaching mission would not be served by insisting on printing only Pulitzer-level journalism. Certainly, the feature could have been reported more thoroughly or simply written at greater length. On the other hand, it is also possible that space limitations cut its length and required broad deletions. I am unaware of the factors behind the article’s publishing, and I assume Gantz is, as well. I would suggest to her considering all potential factors before rushing to criticize in the future. Second, I believe that Gantz missed the point of the piece entirely. She does acknowledge that the feature was a “heart-warming, behind-the-scenes piece about a beloved” Facilities worker before tearing the article down. I am not sure why she insists that the feature had gone further or been executed more expertly. Its goals were not to document the working conditions of Facilities employees or their efforts in improving wages and working conditions. Rather, I guarantee that those in the Brown community who know him were thrilled to see Hermano Fortes getting the spotlight, as evidenced by the Brown Athletics Twitter account linking to the feature the day it ran. Sometimes, taking the time to highlight a member of the community is a great use of paper and ink in print and of bits and bytes on the web. Having worked in the Department of Athletics myself, I took great interest in the article. I am certain that I never saw Fortes without the “snow-white smile” that the article describes. The description that Gantz incorrectly — and stunningly — dismisses as “a thoughtless picture that enforces racist and classist narratives” is rather quite apt, though certainly brief. Not every piece of journalism must be part of a social crusade, and not every description of a person of Hispanic descent as hard-working and having a great smile is “racist and classist.” Yes, the feature left much unexplored, but that doesn’t mean it was “published carelessly.” Finally, I would ask Gantz to look inward and reconsider her writing of this letter. What makes Brown special is the supportive, collegial environment that gives students and staff alike a welcoming and safe space to learn, think and interact. Even if Gantz were correct in all aspects of her letter, its writing may not have been worthwhile or positive. We live in a time when one can hide behind an anonymous account and the keyboard of a computer to criticize anything under the sun. Commendably, Gantz did at least choose not to take that route. And indeed, as Barash-David and his fellow Herald staffers are learning, so too is Gantz learning how and when to express herself as a member of this Brown community. I wish her luck in that endeavor and would suggest that, in the future, she consider either more constructive ways to voice her criticism (perhaps saying that she wanted to know more about Fortes, rather than focusing her tone on the article’s “mediocre execution?”) or perhaps if it was worth expressing that criticism at all. Christopher Hatfield ’06
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COMMENTARY THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Trump’s victory was in the cards ANDREW FRIEDMAN staff columnist
This summer, I engaged in a Twitter war with a conservative Brit about the Brexit vote. A couple hours after I tweeted, “May the Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s success be the last hurrah of rural white people worldwide,” this stranger had reposted my tweet on his own page with the reply, “Tribalism for white ppl is bad. For everyone else it’s like TOTALLY KEWL THO! #cuck.” (“Cuck” in this case meaning the husband of an adulteress.) Taken aback and confused by his response, I attempted to explain myself by posting a map that broke down the Brexit results county-by-county. He then proceeded to call me an “interloping meddling scum” and told me to “go to Asia” because “my opinion means nothing” since I am not of British ancestry. When I reminded him that the United Kingdom’s history is in fact defined by interloping in the affairs of other countries, he replied “good, then leave.” Feeling as though I had won the argument, I took screenshots of the entire conversation and smugly posted it to Facebook (after changing my Twitter profile visibility settings from public to private.) To my chagrin, Brexit was not the last victory rural white people would
enjoy in 2016 at the expense of the greater good. In a similar come-frombehind outcome, President-Elect Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election by persuading rural, white voters to support him. These voters, for the most part, turned out in larger numbers in strategic places than former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s racially diverse and urban voter base. Unfortunately, unlike Parliament, Congress can’t nullify the result of the
president of France’s right-wing National Front Party — and the continued success of Vladimir Putin in Russia. As Professor of Political Economy and Political Science and International and Public Affairs Mark Blyth noted last week, electorates in developed countries are signaling to their elites that they have had enough. To me, it seems as if the modern world is entering a totalitarian age ruled by demagogue politicians who derive their success from fear-mongering
from violence in their native land, as is much of Europe. Many Americans feel as though their jobs are being exported abroad, as do many Europeans, who arguably have it worse. The unemployment rate of the European Union is vastly higher than ours. Globalization has effectively fused the fate of our country with those of our allies and trading partners. Intellectual elites (Brown students included) who claim that they now feel “homeless in America,” as Thomas Friedman claims
Trump has been a political juggernaut for the past two years, and that reflects something sinister about the American — and global — moral conscience.
presidential election by simply forgetting about it. Though many of us wish he would, Trump cannot simply walk away from his landslide electoral college victory as Nigel Farage (former leader of the U.K. Independence Party) and Boris Johnson did from theirs. President Trump is here to stay. Such is the global wave of ultra-nationalism, isolationism and xenophobia that fueled the victories of Trump and the U.K. Independence Party, the rising power of Marine Le Pen —
and promises of future greatness. Yet many Americans dismissed Trump as an illegitimate candidate and projected a landslide Clinton victory in the general election. We were so wrong. The United States is no longer exceptional, especially by moral standards; we are, in many ways, more like the rest of the world than we think. Many Americans are frightened by ISIS and preoccupied by the prospect of an influx of Syrian refugees fleeing
in his op-ed in the New York Times, perhaps don’t know the current social and political state of our country well enough to call it their home. For those of us who don’t get approved for a Canadian citizenship in the next couple of months, the United States under a Trump presidency will become home in January. Of course things would have been vastly better under Clinton, but she would have largely maintained the status quo, leaving many of the problems that
led to Trump’s success unaddressed. Trump won’t discuss the fact that he used fake conservative news outlets to inform his numerous tweets; insulted minorities, immigrants and a disabled reporter; and objectified women — and somehow came away from these exceptional scandals a more popular candidate. Trump has been a political juggernaut for the past two years, and that reflects something sinister about the American — and global — moral conscience. Judging from world events, perhaps Trump’s victory was predictable. Perhaps Democrats were not cynical enough to be realistic about the election’s outcome. Either way, we were shocked last week that roughly half of voters deemed Trump’s moral transgressions forgivable because of his promise to disrupt the political establishment epitomized by the Clinton dynasty. It is clear that the United States is long overdue for serious reconciliation of conscience that needs to occur regardless of who is president. If we are lucky, we may be able to set a model to prevent other nations from descending further into the same acrimonious, xenophobic frenzy that we (and the UK) have already experienced. Unless or until we are successful, we can no longer judge the political affairs of other countries from the moral high ground.
Andrew Friedman ’19 can be reached at andrew_friedman@brown.edu.
Redefining civic engagement MARK LIANG staff columnist Let me start by saying this to all the marginalized groups impacted by the results of this election, from people of color to women to firstgeneration students to religious minorities: Your feelings are valid. Your fears and emotions and mental health are valid. Your existence is valid, no matter how many people may say otherwise. Reading all of the commentary that has come out since Nov. 8, I have come to the conclusion that the Democratic Party has failed us. And not solely through the incredible campaign of former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton or the work of hundreds of thousands of people who pledged their time and money for what they believe in. No, the party has failed as a social institution because it lost the most important vote of all: the vote of the moderate. This was my first election, but even I can still see that the lines of political ideologies are getting drawn further and further apart. Both candidates used personal attacks on the other — emotional slingshots with the American people caught in the middle. And while I would like to think that my vote was based on my own logic and rationality, perhaps I too voted partially on emotion this year. As many have pointed out, people who still can’t believe Clinton’s loss should consider the disparity between the college bubble and rural, uneducated white America, and the differences between immigrant cities with voting suppression and the disenfran-
chised Midwest belt. Democrats lost the vote of the average white person — and for good reason. It will be easy for the party to tow the same battle cries of party ideology for the next four years by vigorously opposing President-Elect Donald Trump and continue this round of back and forth. But I have good reason to believe that the United States can do better. I hear all the talk about taking back the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate in two
potential to suppress civic empowerment. We need to reach out across the aisle if we want to change control of Washington, D.C., in the future — the us versus them mentality is going to do very little at this point. So as much as I want to un-friend my Republican Facebook friends, I, with all my privilege, am going to continue engaging with them with the hope for a better tomorrow. And to all those who are also lucky enough to not be harmed by the words they see
As much as I want to un-friend my Republican Facebook friends, I, with all my privilege, am going to continue engaging with them with the hope for a better tomorrow. And to all those who are also lucky enough to not be harmed by the words they see online, I invite you to do the same.
years and the White House in four. But those institutions are not ours to take. They belong to the American people rather than to a political ideology, and wanting government to reflect one’s own interests requires changing the minds of as many voters as one can. The United States’ demographics are shifting, yes, but not fast enough. Even worse, this administration has the potential to prevent certain groups from entering the country altogether, not to mention the
online, I invite you to do the same. And for all those who voted for Trump: Own up to it. He is our president-elect now just as much as he was your candidate, and you will need to understand the impact of his every action and word from here on out. But remember that there are those without the privilege of listening without harm. For all the ‘babying’ and ‘over-protective behavior’ of liberals, every person’s experience is still unique and valid. So
you may be causing harm by sharing a a post or sharing a comment or a Snapchat, even if you don’t intend to. You can defend your actions and your lack of political correctness, but harms are still harms. I’m saddened because the results of this election are probably going to impact those who already have been targeted by the language and vitriol of the last few months. I also recognize that the Democratic Party represents a status quo and an ideology that for many has done nothing for this country (or at least many people think that). I want to believe that our system can change to help all Americans — Americans who speak different languages and come to this country in different ways, believe in different ideologies and work hard for success. That is the engaging factor of the United States. Remember that the strength of a democracy fundamentally depends on the engagement of its people — all of its people. So please, if you’re up for it, write an op-ed for this paper or take other substantive actions. Social media has its worth, but it can serve as an echo chamber where emotions run high and discourse fails. Act to change laws and change opinions; 140 characters and a meme isn’t going to do much. Take the time you need to grieve, to cry and to protest (“peaceful exchange of power” does not mean we sit idle). Hold institutions and people accountable. Write to people who disagree with you, but don’t disregard their opinions. No matter how racist, sexist or idiotic they may sound to you, they still get a vote. We won’t be okay, but at least we’ll be better.
Mark Liang ’19 can be reached at mark_liang@brown.edu.
ARTS & CULTURE THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016
Photographer captures beauty in everyday scenes, family life RaMell Ross exhibit reminds viewers to appreciate simplicity of nature, human activity By MADISON RIVLIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Capturing tranquil elements of quotidian life in rural Hale County, Alabama, RaMell Ross, assistant professor of practice in the visual arts department, explores black identity in southern culture in his latest exhibition “Excerpts from South County, AL.” The exhibition is comprised of six photographs detailing stills from life in Hale County. “Interface” crisply captures a somber pond surrounded by leafless trees. Their branches, covered in gray moss, reflect off the water. “Dakesha and Marquise” depicts a summer scene of a woman lying on a wooden plank porch while a little boy, illuminated by sunlight, plays in the trees at the border of the house’s yard. In “Ron,” a man stands alone on a dirt road, enveloped by a billowing cloud of dust. “Sleepy Church” portrays a nighttime scene of a fallen church steeple in a parking lot, while “Brothers Z” shows two boys playing in a Ford truck in the yard of a mobile home. The subject of “Antonio” splays out on his back on a brown, dehydrated
lawn near a water drain. Ross utilizes color and light to create depth within each print. His works blend nostalgic, reminiscent sentiments with representations of vivid, gritty reality. They juxtapose vibrant, fullbodied shades of greens and blues with tawny, lackluster beiges — both colors distinctive of bucolic Hale County. Both “Dakesha and Marquise” and “Interface” offset verdant hues with a glimpse of a single, blurred red entity — a flower and possibly a fishing lure, respectively — in the background. The subject of “Ron,” meanwhile, catches the viewer’s eye in his bright blue flannel, cap and jeans. Within each print, the audience experiences movement and stagnation. The swirling clouds of dirt in “Ron” and the hands of the little boy playing in “Dakesha and Marquise” are captured in motion. The fallen church steeple in “Sleepy Church” lays still in the parking lot and the quiet trees in “Interface” stand tall and frozen against an eerily white, foggy background. Ross also toys with obstruction, visibility of black skin and positions of bodies of color in both the foreground and background of his pieces. Ross creates depth in “Dakesha and Marquise” with the positioning of the two subjects. In “Brothers Z,” the bodies and faces of two young brothers are
COURTESY OF RAMELL ROSS
RaMell Ross captures the unique experience of being black in the South, taking a series of photos that depict life in Hale County, Alabama. An excerpt from Ross’s exhibit is on display now at the List Art Center. obstructed with only their feet and shins visible. The subject of “Antonio” obscures himself from the audience’s
view with contortions of his body and his hand covering his face. Some pieces, like “Interface” and “Sleepy Church,” do
not depict bodies at all, though they may remind the audience of humans’ appreciation for nature or prayer.
The Brown Budget: Get Informed! Get Involved! The University Resources Committee (URC) needs your input. Plan to attend the open forum to learn about the process and share your ideas and insights.
Thursday, November 17 at 4pm Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center Petteruti Lounge, 2nd Floor Provost Richard M. Locke will discuss the process for developing the University’s budget, sharing primary sources of revenue and spending, and outlining key decisions that need to be made to advance the University mission. Community input is essential to the process. For more information about the URC see the following link: http://www.brown.edu/about/administration/provost/universityresources-committee-urc