SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
VOLUME CLII, ISSUE 60
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Hillel holds first daytime Orthodox service for Rosh Hashanah UFB Students organize launches service to meet needs of growing Orthodox Jewish transparency community on campus campaign By JACOB LOCKWOOD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
On Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon, Brown/RISD Hillel held its first-ever daytime Rosh Hashanah services for students who belong to the Modern Orthodox denomination of Judaism. According to Anna Horowitz ’19 — who coordinated a studentdriven push to offer Orthodox services alongside the annual services for the Conservative and Reform denominations — this marked the first time in the University’s history that Hillel’s daytime Rosh Hashanah services represented all three major Jewish denominations. The new services for Orthodox students were especially important because Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish New Year — is “the holiest date on the Jewish calendar” alongside Yom Kippur, said Rabbi Mendel Laufer, who led » See HILLEL, page 4
New website, quarterly budget reports, call for student feedback aim to clarify policies, practices By MELANIE PINCUS SENIOR STAFF WRITER
COURTESY OF BROWN/RISD HILLEL
Anna Horowitz ’19 began organizing the Orthodox service upon her return to campus last week. She hopes Hillel will provide more services for Orthodox Jewish students throughout the year.
The Undergraduate Finance Board will work this semester to make their operations more transparent through a new website, quarterly budget reports and a call for student feedback, said UFB Chair Lisa Schold ’19 and Vice Chair Julian De Georgia ’20 in an interview with The Herald. UFB is the student-run group that is responsible for allocating around $2 million to approximately 250 student groups each year, according to its website. » See UFB, page 3
U. study finds further reductions possible in household lead levels U. tests water from campus buildings for first time since 2008 to see if levels meet EPA standards By COLLEEN CRONIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
A new study by University researchers confirmed that it is possible for household lead levels to be reduced more substantially than the Environmental Protection Agency currently mandates. The study follows Providence Water’s 2017 annual report, which revealed that Providence’s water exceeds the lead level guidelines set by the EPA. The University is currently testing water samples from campus buildings to see if they exceed EPA standards for drinking water for the first time since 2008, according to Director of Environmental Health and Safety Stephen Morin. University study on household lead levels Published in JAMA Pediatrics Aug. 27, the new study looked at 355 pregnant women and their children in Cincinnati from 2003 to the present. The research team implemented lead remediation techniques in the homes of about half of the women — including removing and replacing chipped lead
INSIDE
paint and lead-painted window sills, installing lead-removing water filters and covering lead-contaminated soil with groundcover. The other half, the control group, received baby gates and injury prevention devices to prevent infants from direct exposure to lead. While the researchers were unable to find a significant difference in blood lead levels among the wider group that received lead remediation intervention, there was a 31 percent reduction in lead levels among black children. Joseph Braun, associate professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health and lead author of the study, is unsure why black children saw the largest improvement after treatment. Because black children are often exposed to a higher level of lead, the preventative measures may have made a larger impact, he said. Braun added that he is interested in conducting additional research about the relationship between income and lead exposure. The study could help push the EPA to strengthen their guidelines for household lead levels, as it showed that achieving lower lead levels is possible, Braun said. In addition to blood testing, the study looked at children’s behavior from one to eight years old. The only significant behavioral improvement between the control and treatment
groups was a reduction in anxiety, Braun said. Going forward, Braun said he would like to examine which types of remediation are most effective in reducing lead levels and explore the difference between lead exposure from
water compared to dust. Lead in Rhode Island In Rhode Island, lead from dust and water are perennial issues. According to the Rhode Island Department of Health, 80 percent of homes in the state
were built before 1978 and therefore contain a high level of lead paint. The state has exceeded the EPA’s recommended lead levels in the water “10 times or more” in the last 25 years, the Associated Press reported. » See LEAD, page 3
JONATHAN DOUGLAS / HERALD
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
NEWS University archaeology professors present summer findings to community members
COMMENTARY Simshauser ’20: R.I. gubernatorial race torn between two movements within Democratic party
COMMENTARY Holt: City Council needs to prioritize investing in education, encouraging local businesses
NEWS Graduate students reach agreement with University on terms of unionization election
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PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
University archaeology professors present summer findings
TIFFANY DING / HERALD
Peter van Dommelen (pictured above), Sheila Bonde, Andrew Scherer, Yannis Hamilakis, Felipe Rojas Silva and Laural Bestock spent their summers excavating sites across the world to get a grasp of their historical context. Collectively, the professors found shattered stained glass, pottery, skeletons, mud-caked fruits and miniature goats.
Professors excavated sites in Jordan, France, Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Guatemala, Italy By ALLIE REED SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Six University professors presented findings from their summer archaeological fieldwork to students, faculty and other community members yesterday at the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology. Audience members scribbled along in notebooks, captivated by the professors’ latest discoveries in Jordan, France, Greece, Turkey, Mexico, Guatemala and Italy. Peter van Dommelen, professor of archaeology and professor of anthropology, emceed the event, which started by examining Van Dommelen’s research project. Van Dommelen spent
his summer in S’Urachi, an island off the central west coast of Sardinia, Italy. He and his team spent two weeks pickaxing, shoveling and wheelbarrowing topsoil out of their excavation areas. Their labor was worthwhile, according to van Dommelen, who said his team discovered preserved fruits and a piece of tree trunk with bark on it completely caked in mud. At one point during the summer, President Christina Paxson P ’19 visited the site. In a photo Dommelen projected onto the wall, Paxson “sort of looked interestingly at all the mud,” he joked. Sheila Bonde, professor of archaeology and the ancient world and professor of history of art and architecture, studied a monastery in Tiron, France. Her site was originally overgrown with a dense patch of stinging nettles that were almost as tall as she was. The site also featured frequent guest appearances by miniature goats
who loved to eat Bonde’s notebook, she said. Bonde and her team surveyed the monastery’s interior and exterior in addition to excavating remains of decorated floor tiles, medieval pottery, fragments of stained glass and pieces of sculpture. “That one,” Bonde pointed out, “is an angel’s wing. We dug up an angel’s wing!” Next, audience members were transported to Mexico and Guatemala to learn about the studies of Andrew Scherer, associate professor of anthropology and associate professor archaeology and the ancient world. Scherer worked on two sides of the Usumacinta River in Mexico, trying to form a better understanding of two ancient Mayan kingdoms, Piedras Negras and Yaxchilan. These kingdoms were “more enemies than allies,” Scherer said. His team excavated an obsidian workshop and skeletons, among other findings. Scherer
himself spent a month weaving drones through trees to document the site rapidly. Yannis Hamilakis, professor of archaeology and professor of modern Greek studies, spent his summer on the island of Lesbos between Turkey and Greece. His more modern project examined “food procurement, preparation and consumption” in the context of migration. Working with the living and the dead, he interviewed migrants and excavated skeletons. Felipe Rojas Silva, assistant professor of archaeology and the ancient world and Egyptology and Assyriology, worked together with Laurel Bestock, associate professor of archaeology and the ancient world and Egyptology and Assyriology, and associate professor of history of art and architecture. In order to research the terracing systems of Petra, Jordan, they dug six trenches, which allowed them to
analyze the landscape. Bestock trialed a new digital recording system that allowed her team to go paperless in the field. She used an iPad to document artifacts and imagery, raving during her presentation about the ease with which the program organized materials. In the future, Rojas would like to examine a whole watershed from the top of the Sahara mountains to understand how to control water from the summit to the base. Each of the professors noted the collaboration that aided their efforts this summer. They worked with undergraduate and graduate students from the University, students from local universities and other professors and partners. Many of the audience members had been on the archaeological teams themselves. Other audience members stuck around after the presentation to ask questions and enjoy refreshments.
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
» UFB, from page 1 “Over the years, we’ve definitely realized that a lot of the student body doesn’t necessarily realize what we do or what goes on behind the scenes, and it can be a really complicated process,” Schold said. “It was really important for us to make that process easier to navigate.” UFB’s recently launched standalone website provides information about the Board and its policies along with resources for student groups, like a step-by-step guide to making a budget. Former UFB Chair Yuzuka Akasaka ’18 “was the first person to champion the website,” De Georgia said. Information about UFB was added to the Undergraduate Council of Students’ website last semester, he said. “There (are) a lot of things that it would be helpful to know in order to effectively get money (from) UFB, ... so we realized that it would be a lot more effective to have an independent website,” De Georgia said. UCS approved funding for the site in a general body meeting in April, The Herald previously reported. Having UFB’s policies easily accessible online could also help groups like Ivy Film Festival obtain outside
» LEAD, from page 1 In the last decade, Providence Water has spent over $45 million mitigating lead damage, according to an Aug. 31 press release from the city utility company. “Providence Water continues to evaluate our water treatment process to make the water less corrosive in an effort to reduce lead levels in homes that may have lead plumbing,” the statement read. In Providence, both the 2016 and 2017 water quality reports showed lead exceedances above the EPA standards. “It’s disturbing, but not at all surprising,” said Laura Brion ’04, executive director of Childhood Lead Action Project. Brion, who advocates for lead safety in the state, said that Providence Water recently notified her that her office building in Federal Hill may have lead service lines. The Herald’s building at 195 Angell St. also received one of these notifications. Providence Water has placed the report in public locations,
COURTESY OF UNDERGRADUATE FINANCE BOARD
The Undergraduate Finance Board has created a new website as part of its initiative to increase transparency. UFB is responsible for allocating $2 million to around 250 student groups each year. funding, said Misha Gehring ’18.5, an executive director of IFF. “I think definitely that (the website) clarifies things,” Gehring said. “In terms of our sponsors … it would be really nice for them to see where the money we have is going and therefore where the money they give us will supplement and can fill in the places
that UFB doesn’t fill.” The Board also plans to issue budget reports to help explain how they distribute funding. The first report, which De Georgia and Schold expect to be out by the end of September, will provide a “very big picture breakdown” of how UFB allocates funds, De Georgia said. Later
including the Sciences Library. “I’m glad that Providence is reporting it out and that people are noticing it,” Brion said. Providence Water’s brochures and letters, written in English and Spanish, encourage Providence Water customers to stop by their offices to pick up free water-testing kits. The literature also describes Providence Water’s no-interest, three-year loan program that provides loans for homeowners to replace private lead pipes with the guarantee that the company will replace the public lines.
been happy about,” Savitz said, adding that with regulations such as removing lead from gasoline, the EPA has been able to gradually lower lead levels and make lead guidelines stricter. “They set standards to be practical,” Savitz said, adding that no level of lead is known to be safe. Interventions usually make subtler differences because lead levels are already generally much lower than before, he said, pointing to the study’s findings that black participants benefitted most from the remediation techniques while the group as a whole did not show significant reduction in blood lead levels. But lead levels can always be lower, Savitz said, adding that Providence Water “certainly needs to lower levels to be in compliance” with EPA regulations. Still, Savitz urged people not to panic about general low-level lead exposures in the United States. “We’re concerned (about lead levels), not conveying a sense of terror,” he said.
Looking Forward While headlines about lead, including those about Flint, Michigan, can ignite public concern, a lot has already been done to lower lead exposure, according to David Savitz, associate director of the Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk and professor of epidemiology, pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology. “Levels that we’re concerned about (now), 10 years ago, we would have
in the semester, UFB plans to release a “more detailed, nuanced breakdown of specifically certain budget categories,” he added. Gehring said she would be interested in seeing those reports. “IFF does things on a very small budget given the scale of (what) our festival ends up being and it is because … we
only bring guests to campus for free,” Gehring said. So she would be “really curious” to view the budgets of many other student groups. Brown Outing Club Vice President Sarah Berman ’20, who served as one of the group’s treasurers last year, said she is not personally interested in reading the report. “I think it’s a great idea that they’re keeping up with it enough to do it, … but it’s not a completely necessary thing to do,” she said. Similar student boards at other universities, such as Penn and Dartmouth, have previously made public information about their allocations to student groups. UFB will also work to encourage more feedback from student groups, including those who may be unhappy with current policies, De Georgia said. “Part of the goal of this is to kind of open up that conversation, … so that we can continue to improve,” he said. Transparency is especially important for UFB, Schold said, as its budget is the combined total of every undergraduate’s yearly $286 student activities fee. “This fund is made of students’ … money and the purpose of it is to fund student activities on campus,” she said. “We want people to have a say in that process.”
MEAL PLAN
changes
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New Courses in Religious Studies Fall 2018 RELS 0415: Ancient Christian Culture Prof. Dora Ivanisevic T/Th 9-10:20a.m.
RELS 1610: Sacred Sites: Law, Politics,Religion Prof. Nathaniel Berman, Th 4-6:30p.m.
RELS 1650: Gospel Music from the Church to the Streets Prof. Charrise Barron, T/Th 2:30-3:50p.m.
For more information or to see a full course List, visit our website: www.brown.edu/academics/religious-studies
NEWS
PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
» HILLEL, from page 1 the Orthodox services. Because Rosh Hashanah fell during the beginning of shopping period — making it difficult for students to go home for the holiday — the services provided an opportunity to observe Rosh Hashanah on campus. “It’s important that students who want to attend an Orthodox service are able to do so,” wrote Acting Executive Director of Hillel Dan Ehrenkrantz in an email to The Herald. Horowitz added that the inclusion of a daytime Orthodox Rosh Hashanah service signals to both current and prospective students “that you can be a part of any denomination within Judaism and still feel like you have a place to belong on campus.” Until this year, Hillel did not offer Orthodox Rosh Hashanah services during the day. Horowitz said this is “something that I’ve always struggled with, coming from a Modern Orthodox family.” In years past, Hillel has held a brief Orthodox service for Rosh Hashanah at night. But Modern Orthodox students interested in attending a lengthier daytime service — which, for Horowitz, provides “more meaningful and deep prayer” than nighttime services — could only choose between services for the Reform and Conservative denominations. “When I went on Rosh Hashanah morning to the Conservative service, I didn’t love it,” Horowitz recalled from last year. “I didn’t feel like I was really connecting to the service as much as I would have at home, and I attribute
it partially to the fact that it was just a different type of service than I was used to.” Laufer explained that Hillel has not offered daytime Rosh Hashanah services for Orthodox students in the past due to a lack of interest. “But in the last year or two, there’s been a stronger feeling of interest” in Orthodox services, he said. “There’s a slowly but steadily growing presence of Orthodox kids at Brown.” Former Herald columnist Ethan Shire ’19, a Conservative Jewish student who helped Horowitz organize the services, said he thinks the increased demand for an Orthodox service is a sign of changing demographics within the University’s Jewish community. Horowitz agreed that students who are “more observant” of Jewish traditions are beginning to come to the University in greater numbers. Other Ivy League schools — including Harvard, Columbia and Penn — have long had strong communities of Orthodox Jewish students, Shire said. But these students have historically shied away from Brown due to its lack of an Orthodox community, Laufer added. Shire thinks the new Orthodox Rosh Hashanah services are “indicative of Brown reaching out to a new subsegment of students that other Ivy League schools have strong access to.” Laufer agreed that “Brown is looking to make itself known as a diverse place welcoming to people of all different backgrounds, religiously and otherwise.” By demonstrating support for Orthodox students through daytime Rosh Hashanah services, “we’ll be able
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD to continuously grow the (Orthodox Jewish) community and have a stronger presence for other holidays and for regular Sabbath services,” he added. Providence’s eruv was extended to include Brown and RISD in April 2017, allowing Orthodox Jewish students to do tasks that they are otherwise barred from performing on the Sabbath, The Herald previously reported. The effort to organize an Orthodox Rosh Hashanah service was directed by students, Horowitz said. “Brown’s Jewish community is adapting and changing, therefore opening its doors” to more religious students, she added. But Horowitz only began pushing for an Orthodox service after she returned to campus last week, which made publicity difficult. “All of the materials, the handouts, the posters, the schedules don’t have this service listed because it was planned so lastminute,” she said. Horowitz thinks there is still room for Hillel to better support Orthodox Jewish students. But since Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a new year on the Jewish calendar, “this is a really good starting point for the rest of the year,” Horowitz said. “There are plenty of Jewish holidays throughout the year, so (there are) plenty more opportunities for us to have a more inclusive lineup of services.” “I suspect that the Orthodox community on campus will want to organize services on other Jewish holidays throughout the year as well,” Ehrenkrantz wrote. “As long as there is student interest, Orthodox services will take place.”
TODAY
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
a drop in the buckets
SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS
Pizza: Pepperoni, Spicy Sausage and Garlic, Assorted Roasted Mushroom Curry Bar, Po’ Boy JOSIAH’S
BLUE ROOM
Pasta Night Quesadillas
Blue Room Grain Bowl Burrito Bowl
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Italian Style Meatballs, Torpedo Sub Roll, Roasted Beets
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo, Autumn Braised Greens, Carne de Porco Alentejana
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Grilled Vegetable Quiche, Whole Corn Kernel, Meatball Grinder
Blueberry Dijon Chicken, Eggplant Parmesan, Braised Orange Cabbage
sudoku
TIFFANY DING / HERALD
In line with the Urban Environmental Lab’s commitment to sustainability, a compost collection site is available behind the community garden for the benefit of students, community members and gardeners alike.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Los Angeles Times Puzzle c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Net help pages, briefly 5 County counterpart, in Canterbury 10 Boring 14 Longtime Stern rival 15 Little bits 16 Baltic capital 17 New Orleans team confused? 20 __ Who 21 Little bits 22 Silly 23 Musical quality 25 Chooses 26 New York team punished? 31 Fail to mention 32 Picky eaters of rhyme 33 Different 36 “Network” director 38 Old West mil. force 39 Andrea Bocelli, e.g. 41 Half a fly 42 More than a sobber 45 Small or large 46 Indianapolis team stymied? 48 Loads to clean 51 Person in a sentence, say 52 Convention pinon 53 Heroic poems 56 “Homeland” airer, briefly 59 San Diego team upset? 62 Hardly friendly 63 Go on and on 64 Take on 65 Golf rarities 66 Fur fortunemaker 67 Football positions
4 IRS ID 5 TV drama about Alex, Teddy, Georgie and Frankie Reed 6 Vagabond 7 News piece 8 X-ray units 9 Linguistic suffix 10 Pickled 11 Purple __: New Hampshire state flower 12 Word with travel or talent 13 Underworld 18 Zippy flavor 19 Most nasty 24 Bone: Pref. 25 NH summer hours 26 Quite a blow 27 Tall runners 28 Footnote ref. 29 Mount Narodnayaʼs range 30 __ orange 33 Thin paper 34 Nap 35 Slave Scott 37 Like many omelets
40 “Mi casa __ casa” 43 Gore and Hirt 44 Stock market VIP? 46 Casual wine choices 47 Not bad, not good 48 Modern witchʼs religion 49 For this purpose
“We dug up an angel’s wing!”
50 Old, as a joke 53 Goofs 54 Exam sophs may take 55 Colon, in analogies 57 Sheep together 58 Keats works 60 Org. concerned with greenhouse gas 61 Ally of Fidel
—Sheila Bonde, professor of archaeology and professor of history of art and architecture
See archaeology on page 2
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
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Utilizing Brown’s Resources 12:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson, 203
Engineering Activities Fair 2:00 P.M. Engineering Research Center
Keystone Info Session 4:00 P.M. Career Lab
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DOWN 1 Punch source 2 Indian nursemaid 3 Being alone with oneʼs thoughts By Kurt Mengel and Jan-Michele Gianette
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Property Registration 10:00 A.M. Vartan Gregorian Quad A
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TOMORROW Starla Improv Workshop 7:00 A.M. Salomon Center
5th Year MAT/UTEP Info Session 12:00 P.M. Dewey Conference, Barus
Cornerstone Research Coffee Chats 1:30 P.M. Career Lab
CareerLAB Class of 2022 Welcome Carnival 3:00 P.M. College Green
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018 • PAGE 7
A split in the Rhode for Democrats DEREK SIMSHAUSER staff columnist The past two years have been fraught for Democrats. In the aftermath of the calamitous 2016 presidential election, ideological fissures within the party have widened as progressive insurgents have found traction in recent months. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in 2016 portended a wave of challenges to establishment candidates from the left, and many ensuing primaries at both the state and national level have pitted progressive challengers against comparatively centrist, moderate incumbents. In Rhode Island, the upcoming Democratic gubernatorial primary captures this ideological tension. The primary, for which polls close today at 8 p.m., features incumbent Gov. Gina Raimondo, one of just six female governors currently in office, against former State Rep. Spencer Dickinson and former Secretary of State Matt Brown. Brown, who is running a campaign from the left, was seen as a rising star in 2003 when he was elected secretary of state at just 32 years old. However, his career was derailed after his 2006 Senate campaign flamed out amid accusations of money laundering. (Brown, ironically, had made transparent campaign finance a platform issue.) His critiques of Raimondo typify those of progressive challengers; Brown’s ad campaign has fixated on portraying the sitting governor as a “Republican in disguise,” the Providence Journal reported. In the realm
of policy, Brown has centered his platform around “Medicare for All”; he has pledged that on his first day in office, he would move Rhode Island to a “universal health care system,” thus “lowering average costs for people and businesses in the state.” Sanders, notably, proposed a “Medicare for All” program at the federal level, and many special elections candidates have won recent races while making the proposal a campaign issue — Brown’s embrace of the plan further affirms his progressive bona fides. There is also a political advantage
shifted state employees to hybrid pension plans, which balanced the budget but exposed employees to investment risk. She also boosted the retirement age and suspended cost-of-living adjustments. Though state unemployment now hovers around 4 percent, “the Democratic left hasn’t forgiven her,” according to an opinions piece in the Wall Street Journal. Recently, Raimondo has boosted funding for community colleges and enacted legislation mandating that employers provide paid sick leave, two
the widespread success of female candidates. Some primary outcomes — Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez’s primary victory in New York’s District 14 comes to mind — embody both of these narratives. But across the gamut of primaries this year, there is far more reason to believe that 2018 is the year for female Democrats, not necessarily progressives. An August study published by FiveThirtyEight of Democratic primaries found that in 138 races, female candidates had a 65 percent win rate; “all else being equal, being a woman has
This gubernatorial primary sits at the crossroads of two dominant movements in the current Democratic party: the burgeoning progressive wing and the widespread success of female candidates. here, as Sanders carried Rhode Island by approximately 11 percentage points over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primaries, the New York Times reported. In many ways, the upcoming gubernatorial primary resembles its presidential precedent — a progressive male insurgent running against a centrist, female establishment candidate. Surely, progressive voters in Rhode Island will take issue with Raimondo’s $191 million in cuts to Medicaid — which Brown has made sure to highlight — along with her rollback of pension benefits. However, Brown’s attacks on Raimondo’s pension cuts fail to acknowledge the economic context in which they occurred. In Raimondo’s first year as treasurer in 2011, the state’s unemployment rate was hovering around 11 percent. To curb losses, Raimondo instituted reforms that
policies that allign with progressive ideology. But these reforms have been undermined by her persistent courting of corporations. When Raimondo approved a $34 million grant to General Dynamics for its construction work, Brown was highly critical. In an email to the Providence Journal, Brown wrote: “Why do Rhode Island taxpayers need to give $34 million in subsidies to General Dynamics … which made $30 billion in revenue last year and paid its CEO $21 million in 2016?” Raimondo’s positions on health care, pension reform and the granting of corporate tax breaks are untenable among more liberal Democrats — at least when she’s running against Brown. This primary, then, sits at the crossroads of the two dominant movements within the current Democratic party: the burgeoning progressive wing and
been worth an additional 10 percentage points over being a man in the open Democratic primaries we looked at.” By contrast, the possibility of a progressive takeover of the party from establishment Democrats has not been realized, despite what dramatic headlines may suggest. “Establishment” candidates — those that get endorsed by either the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red to Blue List or the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee — have a 95 percent win rate in 2018. Isolate that to cases where a party-endorsed candidate ran against a progressive-group-endorsed candidate, and the “establishment” candidate still won 89 percent of the time. Indeed, the best predictor of success in Democratic primaries remains the support of the Democratic party itself. At a macro level, the political atmo-
sphere seems to augur success for Raimondo. It’s also promising that former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed her this week; of the ten candidates Biden has endorsed this cycle, every one has won his or her race. But while Brown is widely considered a long-shot, Raimondo’s campaign seems particularly worried about him. It spent $1.3 million over the summer and released a comprehensive attack ad on Brown, zeroing in on his alleged money laundering. Raimondo seems likely to stave off Brown’s primary challenge, but her support among the Democratic left will be critical in deciding the general election. Her likely opponent is Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, who lost by just four points against Raimondo in 2014. The internal polling conducted by both campaigns shows Fung ahead as of late August, and his net favorability amongst Rhode Islanders sits at a sturdy plus-25 points, compared to Raimondo’s negative two. Ultimately, Raimondo will likely win her primary, even without the support of the Democratic left. But it will be vital to consolidate her base in the general election, lest she lose the race to a Republican who would be far less palatable to every bloc of Rhode Island Democrats.
Derek Simshauser ’20 is not registered to vote in Rhode Island, but you should be! He can be reached at derek_simshauser@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald. com.
Securing the future of Providence — for all of us RYAN HOLT
op-ed contributor My name is Ryan Holt. I live on Halsey Street (right near campus) with my wife, Lilia, our rescue dog Stella and our two rescue cats Silvio and Cleo. Lil and I were both born and raised right here in Providence. We both attended Classical High School in Providence. We both have successful careers — mine in law and hers in business development — and we share a lifelong passion for public service and civic engagement. While I was born and raised in Elmhurst (near Providence College, from which I graduated in 2009), Lil grew up off of Hope Street where she spent her weekends observing the Jewish Shabbat with her grandparents on Elmgrove Avenue, enjoying art classes at RISD and attending Hebrew school at Temple Beth-El. We could not be happier that we chose to make our home on the East Side. I am running to represent Ward 2 in the City Council because, Providence, the city I grew up in and am privileged enough to call home once again, is at a pivotal point. Undoubtedly, Providence is a city rich in cultural diversity and economic opportu-
nity. Lilia and I believed in the promise of both, which is why we chose to stay in Providence rather than take post-college jobs in Boston, New York or San Francisco. But Providence also has persistent problems: deep-seated parochialism that divides neighborhoods rather than unites them, inconsistent policies that lead to educational inequality and a need-to-know-a-guy development culture that threatens our very community. Still, my life experiences in this city
pass complicated, important and impactful legislation have prepared me to build coalitions and foster compromise. These experiences, right here in Providence, are why I am running to be your voice on the City Council — why I feel I have the policy platform needed to enhance Providence schools, build a dynamic economic climate in the city and ensure that Providence remains an attractive and inclusive destination for all people. I’m running to fight for the fami-
We have so many talented people who call and who have called Providence their home. Let’s keep them here. We must create a Providence that attracts, retains and supports businesses rather than discourage them. We can do this together by supporting smart zoning, targeted city investments in growing industries and increased workforce development. I’m fighting for the families and small business owners who feel disenfranchised by the bureaucratic run-
I’m running for all of those who are proud of our amazing city and want to take it to the next level. Nothing that is wrong with our city can’t be fixed by what’s right with it. have taught me never to give up on it or its people. I know what it’s like to be a boy from Elmhurst who bridged socio-economic divides at Classical to make friends with children from across this city — and to be the better for it. During those four years, I also learned how education policy differed by zip code, which is why I am the only candidate with a plan to address education inequality in our city. My recent experiences lobbying on behalf of organizations like the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence to help
lies who wonder whether to send their children to our public schools. We need strong schools to prepare the young people of Providence for the 21st century. Let’s create a culture of accountability and support for our talented teachers and administrators, so that they can work to their fullest potential to ready our children for the competitive world of tomorrow. I’m running to fight for the people who grew up here and who are attending school here but will soon be forced to leave due to a lack of jobs.
around at City Hall. I’ll be an accessible, accountable and transparent leader who will be there for you — keeping our neighborhoods safe, answering your questions and helping you navigate the hallways of City Hall. I’m running for families and people who have raised children and grandkids here and want to keep Providence their home. We need to ensure that all of us, no matter what age, have the resources available to live here in dignity. We need to make sure that every member of our community is treated
with respect and feels supported by their neighbors, regardless of age, race, religion, identity and cultural beliefs. I’m running for all of those who are proud of our amazing city and want to take it to the next level. Nothing that is wrong with our city can’t be fixed by what’s right with it. Providence possesses a unique culture, great restaurants, artistic outlets and so much more. Beyond that, the city’s biggest asset is its people. Throughout our city, there is talent, passion and drive. Let’s harness that together — not just as East Siders, but together with our neighbors throughout Providence. If we do that, there is nothing that can stop us from building a stronger, sustainable Providence we all can be proud of. I need your vote to do this. That’s why I am asking your support today.
Ryan Holt is a Providence native and a candidate for City Council (Ward 2) in today’s Democratic Primary. He can be reached at ryan@holtforcouncil.com. Other candidates running for Ward 2 seat in the City Council were also contacted by the opinions section but either declined to write an op-ed or did not respond to The Herald’s request. The Herald has not endorsed any candidates in the race.
NEWS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
Graduate students move toward unionization election U. to share graduate student information in preparation for unionization vote
support from at least 30 percent of the bargaining unit to file for an election. March 21, 2018 The Graduate Student Council moderated a unionization forum between SUGSE and the University. The forum provided a chance for graduate students to learn more about unionization and its implications.
By ERIC CHOI SENIOR STAFF WRITER
After reaching a pre-election agreement with Stand Up for Graduate Student Employees over the summer, the University has been working with the student group to carry out the terms of the agreement. In early August, the University notified 1,200 graduate students that their personally identifiable information would be sent to Martin Scheinman of Scheinman Arbitration and Mediation Services following a subpoena the University received from the arbitrator, which was chosen by the American Arbitration Association. The information will be used by SUGSE and the American Federation of Teachers — the designated union affiliate organization, should unionization occur — for “internal union administration,” according to the Office of the Provost’s website. As SUGSE prepares for potential unionization this semester, graduate students at other universities across the country remain at various stages in their own unionization processes. Graduate students at Harvard recently succeeded in forming a union, while graduate students at Columbia continue to face opposition from the administration. Below, The Herald takes a look at
April 18, 2018 SUGSE organized a Let Us Vote Rally demanding that the University agree to an election overseen by the AAA and to include master’s students in the bargaining unit. Provost Richard Locke P’18 maintained the rally had no influence on the pre-election agreement that followed in June.
EMILY WOOLDRIDGE / HERALD
Stand Up for Graduate Students organized a Let Us Vote Rally April 18. Over the summer, the group reached an agreement with the University detailing procedures for a vote on unionization. the events that have shaped SUGSE’s July 13, 2004 2000 that graduate students at private pursuit of an election. The NLRB ruled that graduate universities are employees. students are not employees under fedOctober 31, 2000 eral law in what would be called the March 21, 2017 The National Labor Relations Board “Brown decision.” The ruling followed Under an election organized by ruled that graduate students at private the University’s appeal to a petition by SUGSE, graduate students voted to universities are employees under the the United Automobile Workers Union affiliate with the AFT if they vote to National Labor Relations Act, leading to affiliate with graduate students. unionize in a future election. to the unionization of graduate students at New York University. This was the August 23, 2016 February 6, 2018 first graduate student union at a private In the “Columbia decision,” the SUGSE began its card campaign to university. NLRB overruled the Brown decision garner support for unionization. Unand reverted back to its stance from der NLRB procedures, SUGSE needed
June 21, 2018 The University and SUGSE signed a pre-election agreement outlining procedures for holding an election separate from the NLRB. The election will be overseen by the AAA and will include some master’s students in the bargaining unit. August 7, 2018 The University emailed 1,200 graduate students about the release of personally identifiable information in response to a subpoena. The 1,200 students are made up of doctoral and master’s students who have worked as teaching assistants, research assistants or proctors for the 2017-18 academic year.
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