Wednesday, February 1, 2023

UNIVERSITY NEWS

UCS validates presidential recall petition

BY KATHY WANG UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

The undergraduate Council of students executive board members validated 301 signatures on a petition to initiate a recall election of President Ricky Zhong ’23 Monday night, according to uCs Elections Co-Director Joon Nam ’23. The recall election will take place within two weeks, according to a uCs email sent to the undergraduate community.

“It is important to stress that the rules and regulations of this recall election have not yet been set,” he added. “Details will be released later in the week … which will be determined by the uCs elections committee, alongside the Student Activities Office.”

The petition was started in september by Christopher Vanderpool ’24 shortly after uCs e-board members expressed concerns about internal pro-

METRO

ceedings and Vanderpool published a Herald op-ed criticizing uCs administration, The Herald previously reported.

“This isn’t about personal vendetta,” Vanderpool said. “This is about principle, and it’s about upholding the rules and the laws that we’ve written down and making sure there’s accountability.”

“I believe that most if not all of us on uCs understood that the claims in the petition are false and made in bad faith, but we wanted to make sure students felt heard and respected in this matter using their own voice,” Zhong wrote in a statement he posted on In-

Smiley appoints four new members to school board

Board preparing for possible end of PPsD state takeover, new appointment process

BY EMMA GARDNER METRO EDITOR

Four new members joined the Providence school Board following their Jan. 19 approval by the Providence City Council. The members, nominated by Mayor Brett smiley, join the nine-person board at a crucial time as officials prepare for the possible 2024 return of the Providence Public school District to city control after a five-year state takeover.

The four new members are Carolina Roberts-santana, George Matouk, Toni Akin and Erlin Rogel. According to a Jan. 3 press release announcing the mayor’s selections for the board, Roberts-santana is a senior research administrator at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, while Matouk is a board trustee at The Gordon school in East Providence and CEO of linen company John Matouk

& Co. Rogel is a senior advisor to Lt. Gov. sabina Matos and former director of intergovernmental affairs at PPSD and Akin is a fiscal specialist for Norfolk County, Massachusetts with “a deep understanding of school finances,” the release said.

Matouk, Akin and Rogel will serve until January 2026. Roberts-santana, who is replacing outgoing board Vice President Diagneris Garcia, will serve until January 2024. During their first meeting on Feb. 22, the new board will be charged with electing a new president and vice president after Garcia resigned and President Kinzel Thomas did not apply to remain on the board.

Membership applications are first reviewed by a nomination committee and then sent to the mayor, who submits the nominations to the City Council. Mayor Smiley “is confident that the four individuals who were ultimately nominated have (the) expertise and professional skills needed to move Providence Public schools forward,” wrote Patricia Socarras, director of communications for the City of Providence, in an email to

stagram Tuesday morning.

In the statement, he listed initiatives accomplished during his presidency — including the new mailroom monitor and the continuation of free laundry — and asked students to “vote ‘no’ on the recall ballot.” Zhong alleged that Vanderpool “abused his power and postered his misinformation all around (his) dorm in places only Community Coordinators have access to.”

“I only placed posters in publicly accessible spaces of Brown university buildings. I did not place any posters

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Ranney to leave School of Public Health for Yale

Deputy dean, known for patient advocacy, will step down from role July 1

BY HALEY SANDLOW UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

Megan Ranney MPH ’10, deputy dean of Brown’s school of Public Health, will step down on July 1, according to a Jan. 31 press release from Brown. Ranney will become dean of the Yale school of Public Health.

“We are in a moment of tremendous public health challenges, whether it’s COVID or firearm injury,” Ranney told The Herald. “I’m excited … to grow (YsPH) to help meet this moment.”

“It felt like the right time for me to take a leap,” Ranney added. “It provides a really unique opportunity to lead in a different way.”

As dean of Y s PH, Ranney will spearhead the school’s financial and administrative planning as it becomes

a self-sufficient, independent school from the Yale school of Medicine, a process initiated last February. When the process was announced, Yale pledged $100 million for YsPH’s endowment in addition to promising to match up to $50 million more raised in the next five years, according to a statement from Yale’s Office of the President.

Ranney, as dean, will have “autonomous responsibility” for YSPH’s budget, according to the statement.

Yale created a search committee last February following the previous dean’s departure in October 2021.

“Whenever you have schools going through transitions the way the Yale school of Public Health is, you want a leader who is creative, who knows how to think outside the box, who solves problems,” said Ashish Jha, dean of Brown’s sPH, currently on leave to serve as the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator. “There are very few people who can really think creatively in a way that Megan can.”

RIPTA urged to combat overdoses at hub

BY SAMANTHA CHAMBERS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Few locations in Providence — if any — see more opioid overdoses than Kennedy Plaza.

Heat maps show that the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority bus terminal has among the highest rates of overdoses in Providence.

“It is the epicenter for overdose(s) in the state of Rhode Island,” said Haley McKee, an overdose survivor and public health advocate who was present at Kennedy Plaza during a reported December overdose.

Opioid overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in Rhode Island, with 435 people dying wof overdoses in 2021. And while naloxone, popularly referred to as Narcan, works to reverse the effects of an overdose, McKee has explained that the life-saving drug is hard to come by in Kennedy Plaza, the Providence Journal previously reported.

Which is why advocates like McKee

have pushed RIPTA to implement resources and harm reduction strategies to counter overdoses for years.

Kennedy Plaza is a focal point for addressing the harm caused by opioid use and overdoses, said Dennis Bailer, overdose prevention program director at Project Weber/RENEW, an organization focused on peer-led harm reduction in the Ocean state.

“A lot of the people that we work with who may have substance abuse disorder(s) tend to gather down (in

Kennedy Plaza),” Bailer said.

Due to the concentration of overdoses and opioid use in Kennedy Plaza, activists like Bailer and Alexandrea Gonzalez, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Gather Together united as 1, said they have attempted to work with RIPTA. Both separately reported little response from the transit authority. GTuA1 focuses on “supporting at-risk and unsheltered people in

Recall election to occur within two weeks, election rules remain uncertain

METRO

RIPTA considers naloxone trainings for staff, placing naloxone in Kennedy Plaza

HERALD FILE PHOTO

Activists are also calling for RIPTA to supply Kennedy Plaza with needle disposal kits, Narcan vending machines and first aid supplies.

EMILY SUONG / HERALD

inside of any residential spaces,” Vanderpool wrote in a statement he shared with The Herald, responding to Zhong’s statement this morning. “I’m not sure how (Zhong) constructed this idea that I placed items in exclusive places in the building accessible only to (me), as those simply do not exist.”

“Throughout this recall process, I have committed myself to telling the truth in all statements, conversations, advertisements and petitions that I have used,” Vanderpool wrote.

The uCs Code of Operations stipulates that 300 signatures are required

to start a recall election, which Vanderpool’s petition met at the end of last semester, The Herald previously reported. But uCs has to verify both the signatures and the petition itself for the election to happen.

Vanderpool presented the petition at the final UCS meeting last semester but was unable to present the signatures because there were not enough e-board members present at the meeting for the proceedings to be valid, The Herald previously reported. He also rejected a signature “pre-verification” that could have been done before the first e-board meeting this semester to “protect the identities of those who

signed.”

According to Nam, e-board members who were not present at the final meet

ing last semester were provided with a recording transcript of Vanderpool’s presentation.

During Monday’s meeting, u C s Elections Co-Directors Nam and Eli Sporn ’24 independently verified both the physical and electronic signatures provided by Vanderpool, according to Nam.

Each of the 301 approved signatures was checked using the Brown directory and the Brown email system, Nam added. Vanderpool said that they also referenced starRez, Brown’s housing portal, because he had access as a Community Coordinator.

During the verification process, Nam and sporn ensured that the petition had at least 300 signatures from undergraduate students enrolled at the time of signing, paying particular attention to avoid double counting.

Vanderpool initially had 306 signatures, but Nam and sporn were unable to verify several names due to double-signing or illegible handwriting. As a result, Vanderpool “made a number of phone calls” during the verification process to snag two more signatures, bringing the petition to 301 valid signatures.

According to Nam, other u C s e-board members had “a brief discussion” on the petition itself after they were told that the signatures were verified. He added that part of the discussion was conducted without Zhong’s presence.

The vote was a “simple majority vote” and an option to abstain was provided without counting toward the denominator, Nam said.

When he first heard about the results, Vanderpool said that the moment felt a “culmination of months and months of feelings knowing that (he) was going against the system that

inherently didn’t want (the recall election) to happen.”

“The decision-making process (of whether the petition is valid) is very much up to every individual” in the e-board, Zhong said in an interview with The Herald before the meeting. “If there are points in the recall that are incorrect, that are misleading, that are false, then those are grounds to invalidate the” proceedings.

IN PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Nam said that uCs e-board members were concerned with upholding democracy by “giving students the power to vote” and “ensuring that the undergraduate population would have their signatures” be heard.

“We want and are most concerned with controlling the spread of misinformation in this election,” he added. “We will be striving to create the most equitable and fair environment.”

Bleary-eyed and crusty from your 11 a.m. wakeup — your earliest in months — you’ve accidentally stumbled into CHEM 0330 instead of RELS 0010: “Happiness and the Pursuit of the Good Life!” Seems like the good life isn’t for you after all. And now you can’t get up. It would be too awkward. You’re stuck here. Enjoy chem.

COURTESY OF REEM IBRAHIM

Ricky Zhong ’23 wrote that the claims against him were “false and made in bad faith” and urged students to vote “no” on the recall.

COURTESY OF CHRIS VANDERPOOL

According to Christopher Vanderpool ’24, the recall petition hopes to uphold “the rules and laws ... making sure there’s accountability.”

RYAN RHEW / HERALD

Eleven events to celebrate Black History Month in Rhode Island

METRO Events center Black accomplishments, activism, business for Ocean state attendees

BY SARAH OGUNDARE STAFF WRITER

Today, Feb. 1, marks the first day of Black History Month. Throughout the month, various Rhode Island organizations will hold events to celebrate the Ocean state’s Black community, highlight their achievements and offer opportunities for further advocacy. Below are various online and in-person events happening this month.

Feb. 1: Black History Month Celebration at the State House

The Black Lives Matter Rhode Island Political Action Committee and R.I. Legislature will collaborate to host a Black History Month celebration in the state House from 3 to 8 p.m. This event will include food, hair braiding, vendors and tours of the building. There, BLM RI PAC members will also spread awareness of the CROWN Act, a bill focused on preventing discrimination based on protective and textured hairstyles in the workplace and public schools.

Feb. 2: “Becoming Frederick Douglass” screening stages of Freedom, a heritage museum that promotes African American

history, is hosting a screening and discussion of “Becoming Frederick Douglass” with Rhode Island PBS at Congdon street Baptist Church. The event starts at 6 p.m. and will also be streamed with advance registration.

Feb. 4: Cultural Connections with Rhode Island Black Storytellers

The Rhode Island Black storytellers and Providence Children’s Museum will hold an interactive storytelling experience from 12:30 to 2 p.m. RIBs is an organization that promotes the “awareness, appreciation and application of Black storytelling,” according to the non-profit organization’s website.

Feb. 5: Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman Documentary

Viewings

If you miss the screening at Congdon street Baptist Church, Rhode Island PBs will rebroadcast “Becoming Frederick Douglass” Feb. 5 and screen “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom”

Feb. 12. Both documentaries shed new light on two monumental figures in the fight to end slavery. Both broadcasts will begin at 9 p.m. on Rhode Island PBs Passport.

Feb. 5: Black History Month Lecture Series

Lectures about the legacy of slavery, a history of civil rights and African artisans in Colonial Newport will come to the Providence Community Library in a free lecture series in partnership with the Rhode Island Black Heritage

society. The Feb. 5 lecture at Olneyville Library will be followed by additional lectures at three other libraries on Feb. 6, 10 and 11.

Feb. 19: Creative Survival Walking Tour

Discover the history of people of color in Newport through a walking tour led by the Newport Historical society. starting at 11 a.m., the tour will engage with the history of slavery in Newport, visiting living spaces and the places where enslaved people labored. The tour will also go where free Black people built businesses and helped create the foundation of local industry. Weather permitting, the tour will conclude at “God’s Little Acre,” possibly the oldest intact African American graveyard in the u s. Tickets are required for the tour and can be purchased online.

Feb. 21: “Sarah Parker Remond: A Black Abolitionist in Ireland, 1859” s arah Parker Remond, a free-born Black woman in Massachusetts in 1815, earned an international reputation as a lecturer who spoke about abolitionism and women’s rights. Her travels took her to Europe — and her time in Ireland will feature in the Museum of Newport Irish History’s 21st annual lecture series. Guest speaker and Irish historian Maureen D. Brady will discuss Redmond’s life and work as a devoted abolitionist and “international champion of justice.” Advanced registra -

tion for the 6 p.m. Zoom is required.

Feb 22: Still, I Rise: African Heritage Medical Pioneers in R.I.

The 1696 Heritage Group is hosting a special exhibit and lecture focused on Black medical history co-sponsored by the Rhode Island Black Heritage society, Neighborhood Health Plan and Providence Community Health Centers. The event will run from 5:30 to 7 p.m. RsVPs and questions can be directed to CHC Coordinator Lucy Rivas at lrivas@ providencechc.org.

Feb 23: How to Achieve Racial Justice Through Organizational Transformation

Hear from community leaders in a discussion moderated by former NAACP Providence President Jim Vincent. The event will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Rochambeau Library on Hope street. Event organizers ask that participants arrive at 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 24: Disrupt the Disparity: Economic Equity for Black Businesses Now

The Rhode Island Black Business Association will host their first annual legislative breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. at 166 Valley st in the sprout CoWorking space. The conversation will surround the state of Black businesses in Rhode Island and actions to promote economic equity for Black businesses. Those interested can reserve a spot online.

Feb. 27: Lecture and Book Signing with Author Ashley Brown

Long before Coco Gauff, serena Williams and Venus Williams, there was Althea Gibson, the first Black woman to win the u s. Open, French Open and Wimbledon. The International Tennis Hall of Fame will host Ashley Brown, assistant professor at the university of Wisconsin-Madison, to discuss her new book “serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson,” which details Gibson’s triumphs and struggles. The event will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hall of Fame and ticket sales begin Feb. 1.

Additional online resources

In addition to its events this month, stages of Freedom provides continued access to On the Road to Freedom, a guide to landmarks in Rhode Island that highlights historical sites and the work of Black people.

The Rhode Island Black Heritage society, which preserves the work of the African diaspora in the Ocean state, has an online exhibit about Black entrepreneurs available this month. The site showcases a timeline of Black entrepreneurial work in Rhode Island dating back to 1739, and another collection features a series of articles featuring Black voices in state history. Beyond these events and online resources, there are many Black-owned businesses that Rhode Islanders can support throughout the Ocean state this month and beyond.

HERALD FILE PHOTO

Several Rhode Island organizations are holding events to celebrate the state’s Black community, highlight their achievements and offer advocacy opportunities. Beyond these events, Rhode Islanders can visit online resources — such as a virtual exhibition on Black entrepreneurs by the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society — and support Black-owned businesses.

The Herald.

Starting in 2024, five members of the board will be directly elected by Providence voters as a result of a 2022 ballot measure — opposed by smiley — which won over 70% of the vote in November.

With PPsD still controlled by the Rhode Island Department of Education, the board’s powers will remain somewhat limited until the district is returned to Providence’s authority. The state takeover began in 2019 after a report from Johns Hopkins university revealed dysfunction in district schools, The Herald previously reported. But the body still “plays a crucial role in community and public education and engagement,” Socarras wrote.

“The Mayor hopes that these new board members, the existing board members, students, families and educators throughout the district can collaboratively focus on tangible results for our schools,” Socarras wrote. “That includes improved facilities, increased supports inside and outside of the classroom and better (learning) opportunities at all grades.”

Multiple new members acknowledged that they are arriving on the board at a difficult time for the district. “PPsD is at yet another challenging but pivotal moment in its history,” Matouk wrote in an email to The Herald. “I don’t have any illusions regarding the complexity of the problems at hand.”

“Providence Public schools is in crisis,” wrote Roberts-Santana in an email

to The Herald. “I think we need to all sit and admit that. There are plans in place to help the district through the crisis but the reality is that from top to bottom, from city to state, the district is in despair.”

“Parents are aching in desperation, teachers feel abandoned and betrayed, administrators are struggling and the leadership is shaken,” she wrote.

New members expressed a desire to make tangible changes to the district in the coming years. Roberts-santana, who has a child with autism, hopes she can encourage the other board members to help improve PPsD’s services for disabled students.

she added that she hopes to “inspire other parents to step up and be the voice of equity, inclusion and fairness” in the district.

Akin wrote that she hopes that she can “offer a source of support to students and families” during her term on the board. “My hope is that this will build morale internally and thus build confidence with the general public as the state takeover ends.”

Rogel told The Herald he wants to emphasize the importance of after-school programming to the other members. “The school board plays an important role in ensuring the well-being of Providence students — which extends beyond the seven hours a day they spend in our buildings,” he wrote in an email to The Herald.

To make up for the pandemic-related learning loss, Rogel wrote that he plans to promote “accelerated learning.” He also hopes to improve

transparency and communication regarding school closures — a nod to the controversial shuttering of three schools that led to criticism of PPsD administration for lack of community involvement.

The new members will enter the board amidst widespread criticism of PPsD administration. Frustration with school closures and an anonymous letter attacking administrators at the RIDE and PP s D have made recent board meetings rather contentious, prompting outgoing Vice President Garcia to announce her resignation

in November. Garcia called tensions at the board “the worst I have ever seen,” according to reporting from The Providence Journal.

“There is a lot of frustration across stakeholders in the school system and there is ample reason for it,” Matouk wrote. “But we need to remember that we all share the same goals and the kids aren’t going to benefit from parties arguing instead of cooperating.”

“The board should be a force for reducing tension and not increasing it,” Matouk added.

Rogel also wrote that the school

system’s leaders should stay focused on “what’s best for students,” and that the school board could avoid conflict by sticking to its defined roles. “Understanding (the) delineation of responsibilities will help ease those tensions,” he said.

According to Matouk, putting PPsD back on the right track before the end of the takeover is crucial. “When the return to local control happens, it will be a historic moment of opportunity for the district, the kids and the City of Providence,” he wrote. “We have to get it right.”

CALENDAR

TODAY’S EVENTS

Neuroengineering special seminar: Linlin Fan, stanford

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Barus and Holley 190

Games & Goals in the Globe

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Page-Robinson Hall 310

TOMORROW’S EVENTS

CMEs: The Bus that Transports undocumented Migrants

12:00 p.m.

Watson Institute

Condensed Matter seminar: Jonathan sun 4:00 p.m.

Barus and Holley

New Books/Black studies: Peniel

E. Joseph

3:00 p.m.

Online

Brown semester Internship Program - Virtual Infosession

12:00 p.m.

Online

Freedom’s Captives Book Talk 4:00 p.m.

Watson Institute

RE/GENERATE: Priyata Bosamia 7:30 p.m.

Nightingale-Brown House

COCO HUANG / HERALD

Providence Public School District is currently controlled by the Rhode Island State Department of Education, but will possibly be returned to the city of Providence’s authority in 2024.

Track and field leaps to podium finishes in historic performances

Bears set eight top-10 program marks in meets at Columbia, Boston university

BY LYDELL DYER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Last weekend, the men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in both the Dr. sander Invitational Columbia Challenge and the 2023 Boston university John Thomas Terrier Classic.

The Columbia Challenge proved to be the more successful of the weekend meets for Bruno. The teams each secured two medals, with the men’s team taking home a gold and a silver while the women’s team earned silver and bronze medals.

“There were a lot of standout performances when compared to last year around this time,” Head Coach Ken Hunt wrote in a message to The Herald via Brown Athletics. “However, what really stood out was the attitudes and energy … they competed like they belonged there, and they do.”

Overall, Bruno dominated in the triple jump at Columbia. Altan Mitchell ’23 finished in first place after a season-best jump of 15.13 meters.

“It was my first time triple jumping from a full approach since last year,” Mitchell wrote in a message to The Herald via Brown Athletics following the meet. “Things started off rocky but with the help of my coach, I was able to slowly correct things and build some rhythm.”

That rhythm not only propelled him to victory but also advanced his standing in the program’s top ten indoor performances, with his triple jump ranking sixth in school history. “I’m a senior so it’s my last chance to break school records and win Ivy League medals,” Mitchell wrote. “This year I want to hit those bigger marks

more consistently and eventually move past them.”

On the women’s side, Lauren Yeboah-Kodie ’24 matched her exact personal record of 12.64 meters from two weekends prior, finishing second in the triple jump at Columbia. Along with earning her a spot on the podium, the performance placed Yeboah-Kodie fifth all-time in the team’s indoor history.

“I performed better at this year’s meet than last, but more importantly I felt more confident, more aggressive and more competitive in all of my events,” Yeboah-Kodie wrote in a message to The Herald via Brown Athletics. In addition to her performance in the triple jump, Yeboah-Kodie made program history in two other events. Her 6.01-meter long jump earned her the fourth spot all-time in program

history and an 8.63-second finish in the 60-meter hurdles placed her at fifth all-time in the event.

But her goals lie beyond breaking school records. she also said she hopes to perform well at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Championships, or Heps, “as a way of supporting my team, as well as qualifying for (NCAA) regionals,” Yeboah-Kodie wrote. The Columbia Challenge served “as a sort of benchmark to see what improvements or adjustments, either physical or mental, need to be made as we get closer to Heps.”

Jada Joseph ’25 also made program history in the long jump at Columbia. Her third-place performance set a personal record as she leaped 6.05 meters and captured the second overall spot on the program leaderboard, a feat Mitchell called “an excellent milestone.”

The Bears also shined in the sprint-

ing events. Daniel sarisky ’25 took second place at Columbia with a 7.00-second 60-meter dash. He also competed in the 200-meter sprint, racing into the fourth spot on the top ten list with a time of 21.75 seconds. But despite his top-10 finish and second-fastest 200-meter indoor time, sarisky wrote in a message to The Herald via Brown Athletics that he “really wanted to run faster.” Ultimately, he hopes to drop “below 21.00” seconds in the 200-meter race.

Nevertheless, sarisky was happy with the overall result of the competition. “This meet was a good learning experience and I’m proud of my team, especially my (4x400-meter) relay,” he wrote. “We get faster every time we run it.” The quartet, composed of Sarisky, Jason Estrada ’26, Jack Kelley ’24 and Joshua Lim ’25, finished in ninth place

with a time of 3 minutes, 22.03 seconds.

Capping off the seven total top-10 performances by the women’s team at Columbia, Chidinma Agbasi ’25 and sophia Gallucci ’25 earned spots in the 20-pound weight throw. Agbasi now ranks sixth in program history with a throw of 17.34 meters.

Gallucci rose to eighth all-time with a 16.84-meter throw. she already holds the fourth spot with a 17.79-meter throw, which she accomplished last year.

The men’s and women’s track and field teams will compete again Feb. 3, at the Crimson Elite and Multi hosted by Harvard.

“We will continue to build on this energy,” Hunt wrote. “With that, the team will be at its strongest going into the Heps championships.”

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Altan Mitchell ’23 finished in first place in the triple jump with a jump of 15.13 meters while Jada Joseph ’25 finished in third place in the long jump with a jump of 6.05 meters, both setting personal records. “It’s my last chance to break school records,” Mitchell wrote.

Providence,” according to the group’s website.

“We tried for many years to engage directly with RIPTA as an organization to do Narcan training (and) supplying Narcan,” said Bailer, noting that the group has not succeeded in engaging with RIPTA.

According to Gonzalez, when she and colleagues distributed Narcan in the plaza on International Overdose Awareness Day in August 2022, RIPTA supervisors intervened and forced the advocates to leave the plaza.

But RIPTA may be on the verge of implementing new harm reduction measures, wrote Director of Public Affairs Barbara Polichetti in an email to The Herald.

“RIPTA is in ongoing discussions specifically on harm reduction with Mayor (Brett) smiley, the Downtown Improvement District and the Department (of) Health,” Polichetti wrote when asked about the transit authority’s reported unwillingness to engage with advocacy groups and the reported shutdown of the Narcan distribution.

“An update will be provided when those decisions conclude,” she wrote.

she added that the transit authority has met with the Rhode Island Department of Health and Office of Health and Human services to discuss “the possibility of offering voluntary training to RIPTA staff to administer Narcan.” RIPTA will additionally look for “potential places where Narcan could be housed/placed around the Kennedy Plaza area,” she wrote.

Before those trainings, RIPTA will look to identify locations to place sharp disposal containers and Narcan, in addition to creating a “regular cleaning schedule of needles … in Kennedy Plaza,” Polichetti wrote. “There will be

more meetings to discuss specifics and details over the coming weeks.”

Alex Macmadu ’14 MA’15 PhD’22, postdoctoral research associate in the u niversity’s department of epidemiology, likened naloxone to automated external defibrillators, which deliver an often lifesaving electric shock to those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

“The difference between a non-fatal overdose and a fatal one is naloxone,” she said. “At the Kennedy Plaza bus station, Naloxboxes should be placed in all the restrooms and regularly serviced to keep naloxone readily in reach.”

Advocates have also pushed for solutions beyond needle disposal kits: McKee and Macmadu called for Narcan-depositing vending machines, while Bailer noted the positive impact freely available first aid supplies would have in Kennedy Plaza.

Gonzalez also emphasized that any new harm reduction strategies should be included at the planned Dorrance street Transit Center.

“It doesn’t matter if we go to Dorrance or go to Kennedy Plaza,” she said, noting that issues related to substance abuse and a need for transportation will exist regardless of location.

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

133rd Editorial Board

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Slusarewicz ’23: In Adderall shortage, unprescribed use harms ADHD patients

My attention deficit hyperactivity disorder shapes many of my behaviors and thought processes on a daily basis. I often impulsively speak in class before raising my hand, become bored easily — even writing this column is difficult. But my experience is far less severe than those of many others.

Many of the people closest to me share the disorder. One in particular struggles to function without Adderall. They space out to the extent that they can have an entire conversation or sit through an entire lecture and retain nothing at all. On top of this, their antidepressants stop working without ADHD medication, making school practically impossible.

As a result of the ongoing Adderall shortage, I haven’t been able to navigate my life as I once had, but even worse is watching the desperation of my friends who rely on Adderall to function at all in their lives. Now that we’ve been forced to go without, the illicit use of Adderall by those without medical need for it feels disrespectful to those who do need it.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which has seen a steady increase in diagnoses the past few decades, is a neurodevelopmental disability characterized by symptoms such as executive dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, impaired working memory and motivation, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. stimulant medications, such as Adderall, can offer immediate and sustainable relief from many of the symptoms of ADHD, enabling individuals to better navigate their work lives and interpersonal relationships. As a result of increased ADHD diagnoses, Adderall prescriptions jumped by 10.4% from 2020 to 2021, with 41.4 million prescriptions written for the drug in 2021.

When prescribed correctly, stimulant medication is the most effective pharmaceutical treatment for symptoms of ADHD. still, while Adderall has enormous value in the lives of certain individuals, its effectiveness for some has popularized the warped idea that Adderall can help all. It’s an especially potent idea at universities; Adderall is popularly considered “the study drug” and is one of the ADHD medications most abused by college students. Adderall floats around college campuses, under-

stood as the perfect pill for anyone staying up all night studying for an exam or, say, writing a column (if only!). But in adults without ADHD, stimulant medications have a minimal effect on cognitive performance and instead result in a potentially addictive high. As Adderall remains scarce, we should reevaluate the ethical implications of a culture of non-prescription Adderall in academia.

ADHD. After all, if Adderall improves focus in people with ADHD, then it surely must create super focus in people without it!

However, while stimulants are irrefutably potent for staying up all night, the evidence for their effectiveness as cognitive enhancers is underwhelming when weighed against their risks. Psychosis, anger, paranoia, seizures and even death are possible consequences of us-

maceuticals officially announced a shortage of immediate-release Adderall two months after announcing delays filling orders. The Adderall shortage has proven especially catastrophic for those who have been using the medication for a long time, as they could experience rebound symptoms that last far past the initial withdrawal period.

During this shortage, it’s difficult not to resent those who take the medication without a prescription. By misusing Adderall, they squander a scarce medication that could otherwise be used by those who depend on it. Evidence shows that while ADHD medication improves cognitive performance in people with ADHD, they still underperform compared to their neurotypical peers. In other words, pharmaceutical intervention cannot fully compensate for the cognitive disabilities that arise from ADHD. Neurotypical people already have an advantage in chasing many definitions of success — when they draw from limited Adderall supplies, they just exacerbate that disparity.

For people with ADHD, medical treatment can be essential depending on the severity of their symptoms. People with ADHD are more likely to die young, largely from accidents. Drivers with ADHD are 42% to 47% more likely to be hospitalized or die due to car accidents than their counterparts without ADHD, one study found. However, that same study suggested that medical treatment for male ADHD drivers is associated with lower crash rates.

stimulant medication does far more than treat inattention in individuals with ADHD. Adults with ADHD are more likely to suffer from affective disorders, substance abuse problems and eating disorders. Fortunately, evidence suggests that treating ADHD with stimulant medication can ease the symptoms from some of these associated conditions, such as substance use disorders.

For college students with ADHD, one benefit of taking stimulant medications is particularly relevant: improved focus. This effect is central to Adderall’s appeal to students who don’t have

ing stimulants, especially when taken without a health professional’s guidance. Increases in Adderall-related emergency department visits have increased alongside nonmedical Adderall use in adults.

No doubt the perception of amphetamines as a one-stop shop for academic excellence could be attributed in part to the euphoric state the drug elicits. One study found that participants believed they performed better when they took an Adderall tablet than when they took a placebo, even though taking Adderall didn’t actually improve their cognitive performance. The reality is that neurotypical people benefit far less from Adderall than those who would ordinarily be prescribed the drug.

unfortunately, those who rely on Adderall to manage their ADHD are struggling to fill prescriptions. summer worker shortages at Teva Pharmaceuticals, the top Adderall supplier in the u s., in combination with high demand in recent years, means that Adderall is more difficult to get than ever. In October, Teva Phar-

As someone with ADHD, it’s tempting to point the finger at neurotypical users of ADHD medication in the face of this stressful shortage. However, I sympathize with the choice of some students without ADHD to partake. Misusing Adderall in the hopes of improving academic performance points towards a fear of falling short. Adderall use has been shown to harm neurotypical users’ ratings of their own cognitive and self-regulation abilities prior to use. This outlook on performance could increase psychological dependence on unmedicated prescription amphetamine use and prove detrimental to self-confidence. It’s not fair to blame someone for wanting to be “successful” in a culture that constantly raises its standards for success. But it’s also not fair to take advantage of the medication that others need to perform basic functions.

Megan Slusarewicz ’23 can be reached at megan_slusarewicz@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@ browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

“Neurotypical people already have an advantage in chasing many definitions of success — when they draw from limited Adderall supplies, it just exacerbates that disparity.”

Women’s hockey falls 6-1 to St. Lawrence with shorthanded team

Bears lose back-to-back weekend home games, hope for improvement in Friday game

BY AUSTIN XIANG CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The women’s ice hockey team (6-161, 4-12-0 ECAC) fell to the st. Lawrence saints (12-16-3, 6-8-3 ECAC) saturday afternoon by a score of 6-1. The loss was the team’s second in as many days after they fell to Clarkson university (21-7-2, 10-5-1 ECAC) 3-1 the night before.

The matchup was the second of the season between the Bears and the saints. After Bruno’s 5-0 loss when the two teams faced off Jan. 6, Head Coach Melanie Ruzzi said she knew st. Lawrence posed a formidable opponent.

“I definitely don’t think their record indicates the strength of their team,” Ruzzi said. “But really at the end of the day, it’s about us. We unfortunately have had so many injuries … we’re very short-staffed right now.” she added that she did not believe the home crowd got to see the team at their best on saturday.

Neither team could gain an advantage through the first few minutes of play. But midway through the first period, Bears forward Jade Iginla ’26 was charged with a hooking penalty, giving the saints a chance to score during the two-minute power play. Bruno successfully fended off the attacking saints, blocking all three of their shot attempts to keep the game scoreless.

With 4:11 remaining in the first period, st. Lawrence took a 1-0 lead courtesy of a goal from forward shailynn snow, who shot the puck between the leg pads of Bears goalie Kaley Doyle ’24. st. Lawrence defended against a last-minute attack by Bruno at the end of the first period during a power play, with Iginla firing a shot that deflected off the leg pads of st. Lawrence goalie Lucy Morgan. India McDadi ’26 recovered the puck and shot it, but Morgan saved it again to keep the Bears off the board as the period came to

It’s a “really exciting time” to lead the school into financial independence alongside YsPH faculty, Ranney said. “It was pretty clear that this was an opportunity to lead change in public health in a different way,” she said.

Ranney first “engaged” with Yale’s search committee during the summer of 2022, but decided against changing jobs for “personal reasons,” she said. Over the holidays, the search committee approached Ranney again, and the hiring process progressed quickly from there.

Yale President Peter salovey described Ranney as an “internationally recognized public health leader, investigator, advocate, and clinician-scientist” in an email to the Yale community Tuesday morning. “she brings to Yale a distinguished track record of driving innovations in public health teaching, research and practice.”

“Yale made a brilliant choice,” Jha said. “It’s obviously a loss for Brown, but it’s really good for public health, to have people like her in leadership

a close.

st. Lawrence carried their momentum into the second period, defending against another Brown power play and taking a 2-0 lead when forward Kennedy Wilson tapped the puck into the goal.

But the Bears finally capitalized off their third power play of the day when team captain sonja Bjornson ’24 scored the first goal of her 81game career.

“Our forwards were doing a good job screening in front,” Bjornson said. “I was able to walk and get closer, and I think that’s why we had success — I think the goalie didn’t see it at all.”

positions.”

“Whenever you have schools going through transitions the way the Yale school of public health is, you want a leader who is creative, who knows how to think outside the box, who solves problems,” he added “There are very few people who can really think creatively in a way that Megan can.”

A practicing emergency physician, Ranney arrived at Brown 19 years ago for her medical residency, and has been on faculty since 2008. she completed her master’s in public health at Brown in 2010, and is currently the Warren Alpert Endowed Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. As deputy dean at Brown sPH, one of the school’s highest-ranking administrative positions, Ranney oversees academic affairs, as well as research enterprise and community engagement.

“Megan has been a tireless advocate for patients, students, fellow faculty and medical practitioners — and for advancing creative ideas and approaches to public health,” said Ronald Aubert, interim dean of Brown sPH, in

Ruzzi praised Bjornson, who typically plays defense but has played forward in recent games, for her versatility as the team deals with multiple injuries.

Bjornson “playing in a very different position this late in the season after playing (defense) all year just shows she’s a smart player,” Ruzzi said. “she understands her role (and) her job and that gives us a lot of flexibility.”

st. Lawrence quickly responded to Bjornson’s score with a goal from forward Abby Hustler, who redirected a saints shot attempt and snuck it past Doyle’s left side as she was moving right to block the puck.

The game ultimately unraveled for the Bears when st. Lawrence tacked on two more goals within 13 seconds at the end of the second period to take a 5-1 lead. st. Lawrence scored their sixth and final goal of the afternoon at the start of the third period en route to a 6-1 victory.

“I think (the end of the second period) was a breakdown,” Ruzzi said. “The effort is always there, but I felt like a short bench two nights in a row got to us finally.”

Despite the defeat, Bjornson emphasized positive elements of the team’s play.

“I think our forecheck was good,” she said. “When we got in on their

(defense), we were definitely creating some offense (and) throwing pucks on net.”

Team captain and forward Madie Stockfish ’23 said the team was disappointed with the result and has higher expectations for themselves.

“We know that we can and should expect more from ourselves, and we just want to do better, especially in front of our fans,” she said. “The regular season is coming to an end, so we feel the pressure and we’re ready to execute.”

The Bears will look to bounce back on the road against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Friday at 6 p.m.

At

Brown’s press release. “she’s been a champion for the mission of the school of Public Health, and we’re grateful for the extensive impact she’s had on our community.”

Ranney is an “extraordinary public health leader,” Jha said. “She’s done

extraordinary work, both nationally on the pandemic, on gun violence, but also within the school, … building up our academic capabilities and launching new academic programs.“

Although leaving Brown is bittersweet, the position was “too exciting

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

to pass up,” Ranney said. She hopes to continue practicing emergency medicine in her new role.

“My commitment always, since before I even got to Brown, has been to transform the health of communities,” she said.

the Yale School of Public Health, Ranney will have “autonomous responsibility” for the newly independent school’s budget. Ranney first arrived at the University 19 years ago as a medical resident.

RANNEY FROM PAGE 1

COURTESY OF HANNAH CHARIS VIA BROWN ATHLETICS

Sonja Bjornson ’24 scored the Bears’ lone goal, the first of her 81-game career. Head Coach Melanie Ruzzi praised Bjornson for her versatility as she switched from defense to forward in recent games as the team deals with multiple injuries.