Thursday, April 27, 2017

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SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017

VOLUME CLII, ISSUE 58

WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

Ivy League works to assist students in face of threatening immigration policies Universities offer legal resources, institutional support to those affected by immigration policies By PRIYANKA PODUGU

valuable role of international students and scholars across the Ivies, each school has developed its own approach to providing holistic support to vulnerable student communities — from lobbying government officials to providing mental health resources.

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

As President Trump approaches his 100th day in office, still adamant on tightening immigration policy, undocumented students and students targeted by Trump’s immigration bans still face an uncertain future. However, Ivy League schools have taken action through public and private measures to support their undocumented students and international students from the six Muslimmajority countries listed in Trump’s second executive order. In this year alone, universities in the Ivy League took legal action against both of Trump’s executive orders on immigration by filing amici curiae briefs in February and April, The Herald previously reported. As members of the Association of American Universities, Ivy League schools also signed a public letter protesting Trump’s actions that curtailed entry into the United States for individuals from six Muslim-majority countries, The Herald previously reported. While these statements reiterate the

Lobbying for the preservation of DACA In response to growing concerns about the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, several Ivy League universities have begun lobbying government officials to save the program. For the first time in its history, Princeton began officially lobbying on the issue of the DACA program by advocating for the passage of the Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy Act, the Daily Princetonian reported March 2. The BRIDGE Act “would allow people who are eligible for — or who already have — DACA to receive work authorization” and remain in the United States “for, at most, three years,” according to the website of the National Immigration Law Center. Lobbyists from the AAU were present when the act was first introduced, the Daily Princetonian reported. Princeton has also “been involved in educating lawmakers about the importance of

the Act (and) has submitted a statement of support” of the Act. Princeton is not the only Ivy League school seeking the act’s passage. According to Cornell’s news page, Barbara Knuth, senior vice provost and dean of Cornell’s graduate school, met with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in an effort to secure his sponsorship of the act. Meanwhile, Drew Gilpin Faust, president of Harvard, met “Harvard alumni in the Department of Homeland Security to discuss how changes to (DACA) could

affect undocumented students,” reported the Harvard Crimson Dec. 12. Faust also met with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Schumer to discuss “federal policies protecting undocumented students,” the Crimson reported in February. She also met with Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., who co-sponsored the BRIDGE Act alongside Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. to discuss the act. Steven Gerencser, assistant director of government relations at Brown, said securing the passage of the BRIDGE Act

PIA MILEAF-PATEL / HERALD

through lobbying has been a “priority for Brown.” He added that President Christina Paxson P’19 has met with Brown’s Congressional delegation to speak about this issue. Providing legal representation and support Ivy League schools, including Brown, have also allocated legal resources to undocumented students who may need » See DACA, page 2

UFB clarifies perceived publication cuts Paxson initiates new Shifting student group climate change task force funding to UFB leads to tightening of budget for 2017-18 academic year By EDUARD MUÑOZ-SUÑÉ SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In an April 25 meeting with leadership of at least eight publications, the Undergraduate Finance Board clarified its decision to not approve funding for student publications’ printing expenses for spring 2018. Chair of UFB Jordan Ferguson ’17 said UFB will not cut spring 2018 printing budgets entirely, but UFB intentionally did not approve them in order to begin a conversation with publications about how to reduce their printing costs. Student publications were meant to interpret the complete rejection of funds for printing in spring 2018 as “pending,” rather than as a final decision, Ferguson said. Budget requests returned by UFB to student publications April 17 showed that no print funding was granted by UFB for the spring 2018 semester. The rejection of printing costs was followed by a UFB email that announced the April 25 meeting, in which UFB would “discuss the future of funding

INSIDE

printing costs for publications” with leaders from student publications, according to a copy of UFB’s email obtained by The Herald. “Printing costs take up a significant portion of our allocation, and it isn’t a sustainable practice for the Student Activities Fund. You will see that your groups have received funding for fall printing costs but not for spring. The board would like to present some alternative and work with you all to find the best solution,” the email read. Ferguson cited an overall tightening of UFB’s budget for the next academic year to an influx of new student groups demanding funding from UFB which were previously funded by the School of Engineering and the Swearer Center for Public Service. “If we give everyone fall printing, everyone can operate as normal,” Ferguson said. “But now we can have a conversation, almost a full year in advance, detailing how we can go forward knowing that budget constraints are going to be tighter next year,” Ferguson said. Editors from several publications expressed initial frustration over UFB’s lack of communication regarding the perceived denial of funding for printing publications, The Herald previously reported. UFB declined to

comment to The Herald until after the April 25 meeting. Jane Argodale ’18, metro editor and an incoming co-managing editor for the College Hill Independent, said UFB’s email to publications following the perceived cuts “sent us into a state of panic because it wasn’t clear that we would get any of our print funding back at all,” Argodale told The Herald. “I really wish (UFB) opened up this conversation before they’d sent out these budget proposals,” Argodale said. “It would have been a lot more comfortable for us to be having a conversation about reducing our costs if it didn’t just start with a zero.” “The ways (student publication leaders) were put on hold and the ways we were strapped for any root of communication that felt productive for that full week meant there was no way for us to actually mobilize,” said Dolma Ombadykow ’17, co-managing editor of the Indy, at the meeting. Jordan Stein ’17, editor-in-chief of the Brown Noser and of the Brown Jug, mentioned another miscommunication involving his UFB representative, which occurred before the budget requests were returned. “The reason why we have any sort of reaction to the budgeting decision » See UFB, page 3

U. community members to examine business, investment practices regarding sustainability By RHAIME KIM SENIOR STAFF WRITER

In response to recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Corporate Responsibility in Investment Policies, President Christina Paxson P’19 announced plans to create a task force to address climate change and environmental concerns in University business and investment practices as well as increase the marketing of the Brown University Sustainable Investment Fund, according to a community-wide email sent Wednesday. ACCRIP, which examines ethical and moral responsibility in the University investment policies, provided recommendations to Paxson in December 2016. The recommendations came in response to a presentation made by Fossil Free Brown in 2014 suggesting divestment from the top 200 fossil fuel companies. The Task Force on Climate Change and Business and Investment Practices

will make recommendations to Paxson after reviewing the University’s “commitment to environmental sustainability and addressing climate change” in its business and investment practices, according to the website of the Office of the President. The task force will be charged in Fall 2017 with producing an interim report by the end of the semester and final recommendations by March 2018. The task force will assess existing investments and procurement, as well as external vendors and contractors currently hired by the University based on their commitment to sustainability practices, according to the Office of the President’s website. The task force will also assist existing committees, including ACCRIP, by making recommendations on the University’s proxy voting guidelines. Additionally it will support the Sustainability Strategic and Planning Advisory Committee, which is charged with meeting the University’s greenhouse gas emissions targets set in 2008, and determine the necessity of creating a standing committee that will continue the task force’s work “on an ongoing basis,” according to the website of the Office of the President. » See SUSTAINABILITY, page 4

WEATHER

THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017

NEWS Community members divided over prospective new preforming arts center to replace UEL site

NEWS Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage ’86 talks upcoming work, MFA program at Brown

NEWS Brown Survivors Speak list sparks student criticism for group’s lack of accountability

COMMENTARY Kumar ’17: Graduation offers opportunity to move away from resentment, fear

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