Friday, April 21, 2017

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SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017

VOLUME CLII, ISSUE 54

WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

Paxson to respond to sustainable U.’s chief diversity officer to step down investment recommendations Vice President CariagaCommittee proposes climate change task force, increased sustainable investment marketing By RHAIME KIM SENIOR STAFF WRITER

President Christina Paxson P’19 said that she will soon release a response to the December 2016 recommendations of the University’s Advisory Committee on Corporate Responsibility in Investment Policies, which advised the president to create a climate change task force and increase marketing of the Brown University Sustainable Investment Fund. The BUSIF, launched last year, offers a “sustainability-focused” donating option for alums and graduating students that will invest in companies that have “high standards of environmental, social and governance practices,” according to a January 2016 University press release. ACCRIP examines ethical and moral responsibility in the investment policies of the University. The recommendations responded to a presentation made to ACCRIP in 2014 by Fossil Free Brown, a student-run campaign pushing for divestment from the top 200 fossil fuel companies, said Chair of ACCRIP and

Associate Professor of History Vazira Zamindar. The president’s office is not obligated to implement ACCRIP recommendations. In 2013, ACCRIP recommended to Paxson that the University divest from 15 coal companies, but the University declined. Though eventual divestment remains an option, these new recommendations tackle divestment less directly than the 2013 recommendations. Instead, they present an opportunity for Paxson to publicize existing programs and assemble teams to conduct in-depth sustainable investment research. Though the University already staffs an Environmental Change Task Force, ACCRIP recommended the University create a separate Climate Investment Task Force to bring together “specialized knowledge” across students, alums and faculty and staff members on investment recommendations regarding climate change, Zamindar said. Paxson met with ACCRIP members Zamindar and Katie Silberman ’94, assistant director of community relations, Jan. 31 to provide initial feedback on their recommendations, Zamindar wrote in a follow-up email to The Herald. Paxson suggested that she appoint a task force » See ACCRIP, page 3

Lo to continue teaching in education department, work on book, initiative By ANNA KRAMER & ALEXANDRA RUSSELL SENIOR STAFF WRITERS

Liza Cariaga-Lo, vice president for academic development, diversity and inclusion, will step down June 1 from her position in the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion to assume a role in the Office of the Provost, wrote President Christina Paxson P’19 in a community-wide email Thursday. Shontay Delalue, assistant provost for global engagement and director of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program, will act as interim leader of the OIDI, Paxson wrote, adding that the search for Cariaga-Lo’s replacement will begin this summer. As Delalue steps into Cariaga-Lo’s position, the University will announce a new program director to support international students by May 1, Paxson wrote. A committee will stage a national search for Cariaga-Lo’s replacement, wrote Cass Cliatt, vice president of communications, in an email to The Herald. Both internal and external candidates could be considered, she added.

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

Cariaga-Lo helped develop the DIAP, the Presidential Diversity Postdoctoral Fellows program and the National Diversity and Inclusion Summit. Cariaga-Lo was hired in 2013 as the associate provost for academic diversity and inclusion and became vice president in 2014. In her four and a

half years at the University, Cariaga-Lo helped develop the University’s $165 million Diversity and Inclusion Action » See CARIAGA-LO, page 3

Female scientists celebrate accomplishments U. waives application fee

for low-income students

Inspiring Women in Science 2017 brings diverse role models, research discussion

Action prompted by Viet Nguyen ’17 and Alexis Rodriguez-Camacho ’18, will start fall 2017

By GALEN HALL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Six successful female scientists delivered a series of public lectures on their work in various fields at Thursday’s day-long event “Inspiring Women in Science 2017,” which explored research ranging from plate tectonics to polar ice mechanics. Associate Professor of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences Dima Amso, who created and helped plan the event, said her goal was “to provide standing, diverse women role models” for students considering entering a scientific field. While previous symposia on campus have aimed to encourage diversity in the sciences, few have featured the breadth displayed by this event, said Diane Lipscombe, professor of neuroscience, director of the Brown Institute For Brain Science and member of the planning committee. The speakers were encouraged to focus on their work, though many chose to also

INSIDE

By EDUARD MUÑOZ-SUÑÉ SENIOR STAFF WRITER

HUAYU OUYANG / HERALD

President Christina Paxson P’19 discussed and celebrated the importance of the work done by female scientists in Thursday’s symposia. address the challenges women in science often face, Amso said. The event was primarily meant to be a “celebration” of successful female scientists,

she added. President Christina Paxson P’19 gave remarks in the middle of the day, » See SCIENTISTS, page 2

The University will automatically waive application fees for low-income students applying to Brown starting in fall 2017, the University announced April 14. The policy resulted from a proposal submitted at the end of March by Viet Nguyen ’17, president of the Undergraduate Council of Students and director of 1vyG, a first-generation student organization, and Alexis Rodriguez-Camacho ’18, director of programs and initiatives at 1vyG, said Dean of Admission Logan Powell. Previously, students demanding a fee waiver had to request one through the Common Application or directly contact Brown. The new policy states that Brown will — without any work on the part of the student — now waive the $75 application fee. Students should not be in the

position where they must ask for a fee waiver, Powell said. The policy also expands fee waivers to an extended definition of low-income students, including those who are eligible but not necessarily involved in certain low-income government programs. The policy specifically targets those who are eligible for the National School Lunch Program — any federal, state or local programs that aid low-income students and any community-based or college access organizations, Powell said. In February, Nguyen introduced the No Apologies Initiative, which urges universities to waive application fees for low-income students. In a letter announcing the initiative, Nguyen described his own experience applying as a low-income student, detailing the financial difficulties and complexities of the process. The letter was signed by leaders of student governments and firstgeneration, low-income organizations from over 10 universities. Building on the No Apologies Initiative, Nguyen and Rodriguez-Camacho drafted a proposal in which they provided a plan for the University to grant » See WAIVE, page 2

WEATHER

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017

METRO Community Safety Act unanimously passes Thursday with a vote of 12-0 in City Hall

SPORTS After conceding just two first-half goals, strong defense brings women’s lacrosse first April win

COMMENTARY Steinman ’19: Sustainable investing could play a crucial role toward a cleaner future

COMMENTARY Vilsan ’19: Anti-intellectualist, unqualified politicians should not be elected into office

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