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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

VOLUME CLII, ISSUE 79

Alum’s dance classes tackle Parkinson’s Leventhal’s ’95 Dance for PD fosters community for people with Parkinson’s disease in New York City

BUCC discusses future health, wellness dorm Paxson P’19, Locke P’18 provide updates on reaccreditation, graduate student unionization

By CORRINE BAI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After Ulises Giberga ’53 began experiencing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease nearly 10 years ago, a friend recommended that he try out a nearby dance studio. At the Mark Morris Dance Group in New York City, Giberga not only discovered how to move freely with rhythm, but he also found a sense of “strength, hope and optimism.” In 2001, when the art-based nonprofit Brooklyn Parkinson Group approached professional dancer David Leventhal ’95 about piloting dance classes at his studio for people with Parkinson’s disease, Leventhal jumped at the opportunity. With features such as a high degree of movement specificity, self-expression and multitasking, dance addresses the physical, emotional and cognitive aspects of Parkinson’s disease, Leventhal said. Parkinson’s disease presents a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms including “slowness of movement, tremor, rigidity and balance issues … (as well as) depression, isolation, social changes, lack of expression in the face, difficulty using the voice and cognitive impairment,” Leventhal said. The number of » See DANCE, page 3

WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

By ALLIE REED SENIOR STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF DAVID LEVENTHAL

Participants in the Mark Morris Dance Group’s classes use dance to address the cognitive, emotional and physical effects of Parkinson’s disease.

The University hopes to complete the new health and wellness center and dormitory at 450 Brook St. by fall 2021, said Vanessa Britto, executive director of health and wellness, at yesterday’s Brown University Community Council meeting. Community council members also provided updates on the University’s re-accreditation process and graduate student unionization. The health and wellness center and dormitory will house Counseling and Psychological Services, Health Services, BWell Health Promotion and Emergency Medical Services, Britto said. It will also contain apartment- and suitestyle housing with common spaces for students, said Eric Estes, vice president for campus life. Britto hopes the building’s location the building’s location near Thayer Street, across from the Jonathan Nelson ’77 Fitness Center and adjacent to a patch of green space, will provide opportunities for the center to incorporate recreation, fitness and mindfulness practices. Currently, “we have a 21st century vision and a 20th century space,” Britto

said. Health Services, BWell, EMS and CAPS are scattered across various buildings on campus. The new building will be a space that seamlessly integrates “access to physical and mental health care with BWell Health Promotion, outreach and education,” Britto said. She added that her team is exploring the concept of a rooftop garden and a test kitchen where nutritionists can work with students to learn about healthy eating and food preparation. The next phases for the building are “design and construction, architect selection and staff and community input,” Britto said. At the meeting, President Christina Paxson P’19 discussed the results of the University’s re-accreditation process with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The University received “verbal confirmation of reaccreditation on Sept. 28,” Paxson said. The re-accreditation process occurs every 10 years, Paxson added. The accreditors praised the University, stating that it “holds a special place in the landscape of American higher education,” Paxson said. In particular, they appreciated the University’s mission, commitment to research, undergraduate program, community, financial management, focus on evaluation and transparency, she added. NEASC also provided the University with constructive criticism. The accreditors observed that the University’s » See BUCC, BACK

Whitehouse, U. clarifies policy on third-party events Flanders Third parties using U. space to sign contract, square off have liability insurance, in first TV accept policies on media debate By KATHERINE BENNETT SENOR STAFF WRITER

Senate seat candidates discuss Kavanaugh, climate policy, partisanship, opioid crisis By DYLAN CLARK & SOPHIE CULPEPPER SENIOR STAFF WRITERS

Incumbent Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican challenger Robert Flanders ’71 faced off last night in the first televised debate of Rhode » See SENATE, page 2

INSIDE

The University publicly announced its new policy for third-party use of campus space in a community-wide email sent last Wednesday. Developed by the Office of the Provost and University Event and Conference Services, the new policy is “designed to ensure the most effective and efficient use of University facilities, and to provide a clear process for any external third-party use of University space,” according to an announcement released in Today@Brown. Third-party groups hoping to use University facilities must meet a » See EVENTS, page 3

VICTORIA YIN / HERALD

Third parties who use University facilities for events must sign a contract with University Event and Conference Services, secure liability insurance and comply with other University policies.

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, OC TOBER 10, 2018

COMMENTARY Steinman ’19: U. should introduce dedicated thesis peer advisors to support seniors

COMMENTARY Editorial: U. should support local journalism by purchasing subscription to ProJo

COMMENTARY Editor’s Note: The 128th Editorial Board welcomes Senior Editor Ben Shumate ’19 to the board

COMMENTARY Foster ’19: Amazon wage increase demonstrates power of organized workers to improve conditions

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NEWS

PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» SENATE, from page 1 Island’s 2018 Senate race. Whitehouse and Flanders answered questions about the economy, President Trump and the recent hearings of Surpeme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh hearings in the WPRI Eyewitness News debate moderated by Ted Nesi of WPRI and Tim White of Target 12. The most recent polling favors Whitehouse. Fifty-seven percent of likely voters would vote for Whitehouse, compared to 33 percent for Flanders, according to the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. The two candidates enter the playing field with differing levels of prior political experience. Whitehouse was first elected to the Senate in 2006 and has held his seat ever since. Flanders, a former Rhode Island Supreme Court Justice, is running for the Senate for the first time and has never held elected office. Much of the debate revolved around the Trump administration and the polarized nature of political discourse in Washington. The debate began with questions about Kavanaugh’s recent confirmation hearing. Whitehouse, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was an “early no” vote in the hearing process, The Herald previously reported. Flanders claimed Whitehouse’s performance during the hearings was “an approach of political flatulence,” adding that Whitehouse owed Kavanaugh and his family an apology. Whitehouse fired back, saying that the allegations brought forward in the testimony by Christine Blasey Ford, professor of psychology at Palo Alto State University and research psychologist at Stanford University, warranted serious consideration and questioning. The candidates also traded blows over the Trump administration’s

COURTESY OF JIM FEENEY

ASHLEY SO / HERALD

A recent poll of likely voters in the 2018 Rhode Island Senate races conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found that Incumbent Democrat Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (left) leads Republican challenger Robert Flanders ‘71 (right). foreign policy. Whitehouse said Trump has undermined the country’s position in the international sphere, while Flanders praised the administration’s work to repair the United States’ relationship with North Korea. The opioid crisis was also a major point of the debate. Whitehouse touted his ability to work across the aisle, citing the 2016 passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which sought to curb the rising opioid epidemic. Flanders claimed that Whitehouse wasn’t serious about solving the opioid epidemic and alleged that he was receiving major contributions from drug companies.

The majority of Whitehouse’s donations come from lawyers and law firms, according to the Open Secrets Center for Responsive Politics. Flanders also claimed Whitehouse was guilty of insider trading, referencing a 2012 TV commercial that made the same accusation. The commercial claimed that Whitehouse was given prior information about the 2008 financial collapse and only acted to protect his own financial interests. The commercial was funded by People’s Majority, a super PAC formed to oppose Whitehouse, according to Politifact. The organization rated this accusation “Pants on Fire” on its scale

of truthfulness. The debate also raised local issues, including the construction of the Burrillville power plant. Flanders emphasized his opposition to the plant, citing community concerns about truck traffic and water usage, according to the Providence Journal. In January 2016, Whitehouse described the Burrillville Power Plant as a necessary solution to a “choke-point” issue of inadequate natural gas supply “in Southern New England,” according to the Providence Journal. But Whitehouse is a longstanding vocal critic of natural gas and fossil fuels. During the debate, he declined to take a side on the

power plant, focusing exclusively on national climate policy rather than local issues. This pivot to national policy has been Whitehouse’s stated position on the Burrillville Power Plant since July 2016. Flanders said he would not be a strictly partisan vote in Washington. “I’m not going to vote with any party that doesn’t help Rhode Islanders, including the Republican Party,” he said. Whitehouse claimed that Flanders “lines right up with Trump,” and “supports (Trump) on all the things that would hurt Rhode Islanders the most.” The general election is set for Nov. 6.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» EVENTS, from page 1 number of requirements. This includes signing a contract with University Event and Conference Services, obtaining liability insurance in the amount of $1 million and complying with all policies related to commercial photography, filming, image use and use of the University’s name, according to the policy on the University’s website. The online version of the policy defines external third-party user organizations as “a recognized public service organization; a non-profit educational or professional organization; a non-partisan organization; a for-profit or commercial business entity; a government

» DANCE, from page 1 symptoms that Parkinson’s presents makes it difficult to treat, he added. While dancing is not a traditional approach to treating Parkinson’s disease, it can offer unique and holistic benefits to participants. Pairing individuals with Parkinson’s with professional dancers seems like a “natural fit” because their every movement is “conscious and deliberate,” said Rachel Balaban, a dancer and lecturer for the University’s Artists and Scientists as Partners program. In addition to sharing basic dance

agency or elected or appointed government official (for non-partisan/nonpolitical purposes).” “It’s not really a new policy,” said Marisa Quinn, chief of staff to the Provost. Rather, publishing an official policy online provides “an opportunity for members of the community to know and understand what the policies are of the University for bringing thirdparties,” to campus, she added. While the University’s milliondollar liability insurance policy might seem prohibitively expensive, the policy does not apply to campus partners that support the University’s “educational mission,” Quinn said. Previously, discrepancy existed

among different departments in implementing University standards, Quinn said. “We’ve always provided opportunities for third-parties to come and use space at Brown … (often) in the form of conferences … or providing space for a local school to have a graduation. Those are things that we still want to be able to do, but there’s been an inconsistent understanding of how to go about doing that,” she added. Though Event and Conference Services had its own third-party space policy, the new University-wide policy helps to define and achieve the department’s goals more effectively, said Julie Haworth, director of University Event and Conference Services. The

University’s main goal is to provide space for students, faculty and staff members, but it still strives to function as an open partner to the greater Providence and Rhode Island community, she added. Despite the recent policy clarification, the University has not changed the process that student groups must agree to when inviting third-party partners to campus, Quinn said. Currently, recognized student groups “work through (the) Student Activities Office and bring their national organizations (to Brown) all the time.” When defining the process to allow third party organizations to use campus facilities, the University considered

input from representatives of various departments on campus including athletics, the Student Activities Office and the Office of Government and Community Relations, Quinn said. With increasing demands on limited space, the University hopes to balance the needs of internal and external community members, she added. “Space is at a real premium, and we want to be sure that we can be a good neighbor and provide access to our space and make sure we’re meeting first and foremost our educational and research mission. … There has to be this clarity about how that’s done so that it’s fair, it’s equitable and it’s still in support of the University mission.”

techniques in ballet, tap and line dances, the classes also focus on teaching self-expression and choreography created by teachers or taken from the Morris Dance Group’s repertoire. The program’s emphasis on the artistic aspect of dance teaches participants “a specific interpretation of a movement and the nuance related to executing that movement,” Leventhal said. Individuals participating in the program at Leventhal’s studio arrive for 75-minute sessions, which start with seated warm-up movements before shifting to a ballet barre or a position behind their chairs, Leventhal

said. People of all levels are welcome to join the class and choose movements that they find comfortable. Participants are also allowed to bring family members or friends for company. “It makes me feel better and better every time I go to a class,” said Giberga, who has been attending clases for nearly four years. Dance conveys a sense of togetherness, which can be especially valuable to people diagnosed with a movement disorder that makes it difficult for them to perform routine activities, Leventhal said.

One of Dance for PD’s first teachers, Leventhal also serves as an administrator for the program. Since its creation, Leventhal says he has expanded the program’s reach to over 300 communities in 25 countries and has partnered with the University’s ASaP initiative. Throughout the development of Dance for PD, community service has remained central to its mission, he added. Through Dance For PD’s partnership with the University, Leventhal often comes to campus to give lectures to students on how to support individuals with Parkinson’s disease,

Balaban said. The ASaP curriculum allows students — typically neuroscience concentrators or pre-med students— to explore the intersections of public health issues and art, she added. Looking to the future, Leventhal said he wants to engage with people from a variety of different socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds. He is particularly interested in serving people in different areas of New York City and individuals who live in assisted living facilities who lack access to “high-quality community dance programs,” he said.

COMMENTARY PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

When writing a thesis, learn from your peers

MIRANDA MO/HERALD

CLAIRE STEINMAN opinions editor For many incoming students, the first tangible links to Brown are advisors, people who will be guiding and looking out for us from the moment we reach campus and begin to pick classes. In addition to our academic advisors, first-years are surrounded by all forms of student-led guidance: Meiklejohns, Residential Peer Leaders, Minority and Women Peer Counselors and Writing Center Fellows, to name a few. As we move through our college years, we learn to better navigate our own paths and get our assignments done, and so the relative importance of those advisors begins to fade away. We find our rhythms, selfsufficient Brown students that we are, and figure things out on our own. And then we hit senior year and are confronted with a question of almost mythic import: to write a thesis or not? And, if we are to undertake the task, where to begin? What to write about? How long does it have to be, and when is it due? What is original research, anyway?

I didn’t know the answer to a single one of these questions when my friends and classmates started throwing their own ideas and outlines around. I met with advisors in my concentration to gain answers to the logistical questions, as well as some moral support. But I still felt, and continue to feel, that I was lacking the perspective of someone who had actually been through the process. That is the major gap in the University’s otherwise comprehensive advising network: a thesis peer advisor, a recent grad from the same concentration who has written a thesis and made it out alive. The advising system will always work better for some than others. Some students mesh well with their assigned advisors (whether they are peers or professors), some are more inclined to seek out informal mentors of their own and some prefer to forego the advising process entirely and make it up as they go. For students who have close friends who graduated recently and were in the same concentration, this system may well be unnecessary. But a dedicated resource, particularly one who volunteered for the role, can be useful in ways that friends sometimes cannot. The program need not be complicated.

At the end of the spring semester, faculty (or even Department Undergraduate Group leaders) in each concentration would reach out to graduating seniors who wrote theses and ask if they would be willing to give a rising senior their phone number. For a handful of hours a month, that alum would make themselves available to check in and answer questions. (Whether or not to respond to late-night panic sessions would be at the peer advisor’s discretion.) Research and writing, though independent in nature, can always benefit from a listening ear. A thesis peer advisor could share insight about where they were this time last year, discussing times when they wanted to quit or felt like they had backed themselves into a corner. They can suggest new sources or citation tools and provide a type of motivation and counseling that can be hard to find from professors, no matter how accessible they make themselves. It would help recent grads keep their ties to Brown, and seniors would have access to a role model not just for their thesis, but for navigating those first terrifying postgrad years in their chosen field. One of the most disorienting things about becoming a senior is the lack of institutional memory passed down to us. In clubs and

on teams, it’s up to us to maintain traditions and knowledge and to lead in the best way we know how. In most facets of our college lives, from classes to extracurriculars, we’re ready for this; we’ve been learning how to take the reins for the past three and a half years. But the thesis process is entirely new, and everyone who has been through it has left College Hill behind, leaving no one to offer their hard-earned wisdom. A peer advisor program would make the wall between senior year and postgrad life somewhat less impermeable, while rendering one of the biggest challenges we undertake in our college years more manageable. The thesis is an exciting opportunity for seniors to delve deep into their interests and create a work of independent scholarship — but that doesn’t mean we have to do it all on our own.

Clare Steinman ’19 is in the midst of a crisis of faith about her thesis; emotional support can be sent to clare_ steinman@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@ browndailyherald.com and op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

g at e way t o t h e g r e e n

SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Pizza: Spicy Sausage and Garlic, Mushroom Grinders, Pho Bar JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Pasta Night, Bacon Blue Burger, Quesadilla Station

Bread Bowls, Beef Chili, Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Shrimp and Lemongrass Stir Fry, Cuban Sandwiches, Squash Bisque, Rice Krispie Treats

Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala, Cachupa, Roasted Eggplant, Cran Apple Crisp

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Creole Red Beans, Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwiches, Frosted Brownies

Mexican Salad Bar, Rotini Pasta with Olive Oil, Roasted Parsnips, Salted Caramel Eclair

sudoku

TIFFANY DING / HERALD

Students pass through Soldiers Memorial Gate, which was dedicated four years to the day after the United States entered World War I. The gate’s plain style reflects architecture often found in Greek temples.

crossword Q U O T E O F T H E D AY

“We have a 21st century vision and a 20th century space.” — Vanessa Britto, executive director of health and wellness

See BUCC on FRONT. CORRECTION A previous version of Oct. 1 Herald editorial stated that JUMP bike docking sites are predominantly situated in the East Side. In fact, 15 of the 46 hub locations are in the East Side. The editorial now reads, “JUMP bike docking sites populate the East Side and are more sparsely distributed in areas like Olneyville and Washington Park.” The Herald regrets the error.

calendar TODAY OCTOBER

Support for Domestic Violence Awareness 11:00 A.M. Main Green

Be Safe Brown! 11:00 A.M. Sayles Hall

Yuku Miki: Where are the “Three Races”? 12:00 P.M. Joukowsky Forum

John Kerry: Every Day is Extra 6:00 P.M. Salomon Hall

TOMORROW National Coming Out Day Celebration! 10:30 A.M. Main Green

Wellness at Brown: Roll and Recover Yoga 1:00 P.M. School of Professional Studies

Archaeological Illustration Club 3:30 P.M. Rhode Island Hall, Mezzanine

Middlebury Language School Information Session 4:00 P.M. CareerLab, First Floor

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORIAL

U. should buy ProJo subscriptions In mid-September, the Providence Journal laid off four staffers: Andy Smith, a reporter; Randy Edgar, deputy editorial page editor; Stephen Ide, an online producer; and Glenn Osmundson, a photographer. The Newport Daily News, owned by GateHouse Media, the newspaper conglomerate that also owns the Journal, concurrently announced three staff departures. Taken together, these staff reductions are merely the latest round in a series of personnel cuts carried out by GateHouse. This July, company executives told news employees across New England that it was considering more buyouts. A transformed media environment, which now relies on digital content and technology-oriented models for generating advertising revenue, has likely put a major dent in the Journal’s readership and its financial viability. For all Rhode Islanders, the accelerating deterioration of the Journal is terrible news. A local newspaper, published in print every day, is the civic lifeblood of a community, the principal instrument for holding the powerful accountable, a historical archive of current events and culture and promoter of broad-based participation in local life. This is not hyperbole. Americans rely on local newspapers, oftentimes more than any other news source, to provide information about community issues like schools, social services, crime and municipal and city government. And it is these issues — not the heavily reported, televised dramas of Congress and the White House — that have the most significant and immediate effects on the lives of ordinary people. For this reason, we urge the University to play its part in the defense of local news — and, by extension, the well-being of the Providence community — and buy an institutional subscription to the Journal, making the newspaper available to all students, faculty and staff. Purchasing such a subscription would, in one stroke, support the Journal’s reporting, advance the University’s educational mission and lend credence to its self-image as a benevolent force for local economic and civic good. An influx of subscription revenue from the University, of course, will not magically eliminate the systemic challenges facing print media outlets, though it might help the Journal retain more reporters and editorial staff and reinvigorate the quality of its journalism. As the past few years have evinced,

the contraction of the Journal’s newsroom has had severe ramifications for its editorial content and coverage. The Journal — the “oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the country,” the most prominent newspaper serving the Providence metropolitan area and the recipient of four Pulitzer Prizes — now has only one editorial writer, Ed Achorn, and 15 news reporters on staff. And, according to GoLocalProv, only a fraction of the news articles published in the Journal are written by the Journal’s own reporters; the rest are reports penned by freelancers or wire stories from services like the Associated Press. (For context, the Journal’s newsroom once employed 300 reporters and editors in the 1980s and 1990s; the editorial page board consisted of seven writers a decade ago.) The Journal’s woes cannot be rectified by any single move, but a University subscription would be an excellent first step in helping the Journal develop a sustainable business plan going forward. Just as importantly, University-supplied access to the Journal will be a significant benefit for young students, who are the least likely age group to read newspapers. The University already provides free access to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, both of which are invaluable sources for national news and opinion. But missing from these offerings is a robust platform for news and opinion oriented toward Providence and Rhode Island, communities that afford members of the Brown community countless opportunities for direct engagement, meaningful learning and committed service. In the guide to liberal learning distributed to new students, the Office of the Dean of the College specifically advises, “Realworld experiences anchor intellectual pursuits in practical knowledge and help you develop a sense of social and global responsibility.” This expectation to contextualize classroombased learning and scholarship within our communities is a core principle of the Brown education — one that cannot be truly realized without unencumbered access to a local newspaper. How can students be asked to “develop a sense of global responsibility” if they are unaware of what’s going on downtown, in Providence City Hall or in the State House — all just a few blocks away from College Hill? Finally, an institutional subscription to the Journal would

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Editorial Leadership

Sections

Multimedia & Production

Business

Editors-in-Chief Elena Renken Kasturi Pananjady

Arts & Culture Editors Connor Sullivan Ethel Renia

General Managers Michael Borrello Matilda Lynton

Managing Editor Alex Skidmore

Metro Editors Emily Davies Isabel Gensler

Design Editors Kyle Cui Eduard Muñoz-Suñé Assistants: Julie Wang, Kelvin Yang

Senior Editors Madison Rivlin Hattie Xu Ben Shumate Editorial Page Editor Anuj Krishnamurthy POST- MAGAZINE Editor Jennifer Osborne

News Editors Eduard Muñoz-Suñé Priyanka Podugu Sarah Wang Science & Research Editors Jonathan Douglas Jackson Wells Sports Editors Alexandra Russell James Schapiro COMMENTARY Opinions Editors Connor Cardoso Anuj Krishnamurthy Clare Steinman Emily Miller

Photo Editors Sam Berube Anita Sheih Copy Desk Chief Kelley Tackett Illustrations Editor Daphne Zhao Video Editor Celia Hack Graphics Editors Marlis Flinn Sarah Martinez

Office Manager Diane Silvia Directors Sales: Shreya Raghunandan Finance: Ravi Betzig Strategy: Edwin Farley

constitute a long-term investment in the cohesion and integration of the Providence community. In its “Brown and the Innovation Economy” strategic plan, unveiled in June 2018, the University observes, “A region’s ability to generate, share and absorb new knowledge is central to its ability to support growing companies and create good jobs.” While there are clear distinctions between journalists reporting the news and academics pursuing scientific truth, scholars have long considered newspapers instruments of knowledge production — and supporting local news is a clear means of supporting local knowledge. When local newspapers shutter their doors, the consequences are staggering: Civic engagement and voter turnout almost immediately decline. And the costs of municipal borrowing soar — thanks to the corruption and self-dealing enabled by the closure of local papers — making it vastly more difficult for communities to make the investments needed to support local infrastructure, deliver social services and facilitate commercial activity. As Representative Carolyn Maloney of New York’s 12th congressional district said at a 2009 hearing of the Joint Economic Committee, “Without our newspapers, we lack a critical uniting feature, which fosters broad participation in our democracy and community.” In this light, the creeping infirmity of the Providence Journal and other local newspapers is not an abstract or theoretical risk to democratic institutions and local life — it is a real and serious threat, with dismaying implications for the unity and wellbeing of American communities. But this moment also presents an opportunity for the University to step up, act on its economic and civic commitments, bolster the education it provides and support the Journal by purchasing an institutional subscription. After all, The Herald is used to calling itself Rhode Island’s second-largest print daily. We’d like to keep it that way.

Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: Anuj Krishnamurthy ’19, Rhaime Kim ’20, Grace Layer ’20, Mark Liang ’19 and Krista Stapleford ’21. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

Editorial contact: 401-351-3372 herald@browndailyherald.com

Advertising contact: 401-351-3372 advertising@browndailyherald.com

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Keep the pressure on Amazon RUTH FOSTER staff columnist Last week, CEO of Amazon Jeff Bezos announced a wage hike for all employees — everyone, even temporary employees, will make at least $15 an hour. This is great news — more money in the pockets of workers isn’t something to dismiss. But we should be clear about one thing: It was the power of people, not the invisible hand or a sudden act of Bezos benevolence that made this happen. We might expect wages to rise because the labor market in the United States is tightening. Unemployment is low, which means we ought to expect firms to offer better pay in order to attract workers. This is especially important for companies like Amazon that hire a large number of temporary workers during the holiday season. But when Bezos announced the hike, he didn’t mention anything about competitive wages or labor market shifts. In a company blog post, Bezos wrote this: “We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead.” The blog post also promised that Amazon would push policymakers to raise the federal minimum wage. This decision comes after months of head-

lines skewering the online retailer for hellish working conditions and bad pay for warehouse employees. An Economist article from January reported that when new Amazon warehouses open, they underpay their workers. This also leads to the

Amazon subsidiary, are currently moving to unionize. Suppose we assume the wage hike was purely a response to a tight labor market. If this is the case, how are we to explain Amazon’s newfound position that the federal minimum wage

workers have fought for better pay and better working conditions, have been slowly eroded over the last 50 years. Changes in hiring practices are making it much more difficult to collectivize. Rather than hiring, training and maintaining their own

Workers don’t have to be powerless against even the largest of corporations.

depression of wages for employees at non-Amazon warehouses in the same area. This summer, Amazon workers in Spain, Poland, Germany, Italy and France went on a strike to protest poor conditions. And the employees of Whole Foods, a new

is too low? I submit the following to you: Amazon was feeling the heat for their bad behavior and decided it was time to make different choices. Real wages have been stagnant for decades and labor unions, one of the primary avenues through which

E D I T O R’ S N O T E

Herald announces new editorial board member The Herald welcomed a new member to its 128th editorial board Oct. 9. Senior Editor Ben Shumate ’19 is an English nonfiction and economics concentrator from Casper, Wyoming. The 128th editorial board is excited to see development of The Herald and its content with Shumate’s added

leadership.

Editor’s Notes are written by The Herald’s 128th editorial board: Elena Renken ’19, Kasturi Pananjady ’19, Alex Skidmore ’19, Madison Rivlin ’19, Ben Shumate ’19 and Hattie Xu ’19.

workforce, companies are increasingly relying on third-party contractors and temporary workers to function. According to Alan Kreuger, a professor of economics at Princeton and researcher for the National Bureau of Economic Research, this ero-

sion of collective bargaining goes a long way in explaining why wage growth has been empirically weak even when unemployment is low. Amazon’s recent bow to pressure from workers, media and the public signals something important. If people are loud enough together, we can make a difference. My hope is that the Amazon wage hike is the beginning of something bigger — a renewed reminder that workers don’t have to be powerless against even the largest of corporations. Bezos, like the CEOs of many other corporations, has tried (and continues to try, as the case is with Whole Foods) to push back against unionization efforts. But when workers organize, workers win. Union employees make more money and have access to more benefits than their non-union counterparts. If we want the world to be a better place for working people, we can help make it that way by supporting unions and helping workers demand better from corporate giants.

Ruth Foster ’19 is the daughter of a union employee and thinks you should never cross a picket line. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald. com.

NEWS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018

» BUCC, from page 1 “rate of tenure is high relative to many of our peers,” Paxson said. They added that the University’s doctoral programs could be stronger given the quality of the faculty and the University’s aspiration to be a “great research University,” Paxson said. They also stated that there is “little margin for slippage” in the University’s finances, and that “it would be wise to develop robust contingency plans to guard against a financial downturn.” Provost Richard Locke P’18 provided an update on graduate student unionization efforts at the meeting, which have “heated up” in the last several months, Locke said. He emphasized that the University does not want a “climate of polarization, conflict and harassment” throughout the potential unionization process. “We want to keep it civil and open and fact-based,” Locke said. In the future, the University will “continue to provide fact-based information to graduate students so they can make informed choices, encourage all eligible students to vote if an election is held and maintain a community,” he added.

TIFFANY DING / HERALD

Executive Director of Health and Wellness Vanessa Britto addressed the Brown University Community Council on Tuesday. The meeting covered topics including progress on the proposed health and wellness dorm at 450 Brook St.