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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

VOLUME CLIII, ISSUE 37

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U. offered coaching position to alum indicted in admissions scandal Gordon Ernst ’89 offered head coaching job for men’s tennis, charged with accepting bribes By ALEX SMOLAR AND COLLEEN CRONIN SPORTS EDITOR AND METRO EDITOR

Gordon Ernst ’89, a Division I tennis coach recently indicted in the national college admissions scandal, was offered the head coaching position for Brown’s men’s tennis team in 2016 while federal authorities allege he was accepting millions of dollars in bribes as a coach at Georgetown University. Athletic Director Jack Hayes offered Ernst the job in 2016 despite strong opposition from team members and individuals with ties to Brown tennis, according to former co-captains Lucas Da Silveira ’17 and Gregory Garcia ’17. Ernst was also considered for the position in a search two years before the 2016 offer, according to one member of the 2014 search committee and another individual familiar with Brown tennis. Both sources requested anonymity for fear of personal and professional repercussions. It is unclear why Ernst never became coach after he was offered the position that year. Hayes instead hired Tim Gray in September 2016, who still serves as the head coach. Hayes did not respond to The

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

Athletic Director Jack Hayes offered Gordon Ernst ’89 the head coaching position for men’s tennis in 2016. Ernst was recently indicted in the national college admissions scandal for accepting millions of dollars in bribes. Herald’s request for comment. Direc- raking in $2.7 million dollars over the of Rhode Island, where he earned aptor of Athletic Communications Chris- course of six years, according to court proximately $40,000 a year. He has been topher Humm responded on behalf of documents. Ernst allegedly accepted on paid leave since the scandal broke. Hayes, declining to comment on the bribes between 2012 and 2018, largeAccording to court documents, Wilsearch process and saying that the hiring ly during his time as head men’s and liam Singer, head of a college consulting process for any coach is confidential. women’s tennis coach at Georgetown company, used a non-profit to pay Ernst On March 12, Ernst was indicted University. At the time of his arrest last for “consulting” fees; in exchange for the alongside other elite college coaches week, Ernst was the head coach of the fees, “Ernst designated at least 12 apfor conspiracy to commit racketeering, women’s tennis team at the University plicants as recruits for the Georgetown

Men’s basketball star to transfer Desmond Cambridge ’21 was fourth leading scorer in Ivy League, will not suit up for playoffs By ALEX SMOLAR SPORTS EDITOR

Desmond Cambridge ’21 announced Tuesday he will transfer to another school after starring on the men’s basketball team for the past two years. “We didn’t finish the (season) the way we wanted to, but the 2018-2019 Brown Bears is arguably the best team the school has ever seen,” Cambridge wrote from his Twitter account. “With that being said, I have decided that I will be transferring to another institution, as this is what I feel is the best decision for me.” Cambridge was a star the moment he stepped on the court at Brown. Last season, he was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year after averaging

INSIDE

17.3 points per game and breaking the program’s freshman scoring record with 468 total points. This season, Cambridge was the Ivy League’s fourth leading scorer with 15.7 points per game and was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association AllDistrict I Team. Head Coach Mike Martin ’04 praised the sophomore guard in a University press release. “He has been a major part of elevating Brown Basketball and helped us have one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history,” Martin wrote. “He will be missed by his teammates, coaches and the fans of our program. We support his decision and wish him success at his next stop.” The Bears embarked on a recordbreaking campaign this year, matching the program’s record for wins in a season while amassing a 19-11 record. But the team suffered a disappointing finish to the regular season, falling to » See BBALL, page 2

tennis team, including some who did not play tennis competitively.” Ernst could not be reached for comment by press time. While at Georgetown, Ernst applied to be Brown’s head tennis coach twice — in 2014 and 2016. In a statement, Georgetown said it was unaware of any improprieties involving Ernst during that time period. At the end of 2017, Georgetown placed Ernst on administrative leave, citing an internal investigation that found “he had violated University rules concerning admissions,” according to the statement from Georgetown. During both University searches for a head tennis coach, community members involved with the search expressed concern with hiring Ernst, who was a varsity hockey and tennis player while attending the University. In 2016, Da Silveira and Garcia were involved with interviewing candidates for the head coaching position, including Ernst. Following the interview process, the captains emailed Hayes, writing that “members on our team have explicitly mentioned they would quit the team if (Ernst) was hired because they do not believe in how he runs his program,” according to the email obtained by The Herald. In the email, the captains referenced Ernst’s poor winning percentage at Georgetown and concerns they had from conversations with students who » See ERNST, page 8

Ratty begins offering plant-based milks Alum-founded company supplies University with sustainable, dairy-free milk products By ELISE RYAN ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Wednesday afternoon, the Sharpe Refectory will begin offering a line of locally produced plant-based milks. The new milk dispenser will feature oat, coconut, almond and chocolate pea milk from Uproot: Plant-Based Milk, a company founded by Kevin Eve ’18 and Philip Mathieu ’17. Brown’s Office of Sustainability announced the new line of milks in a Facebook post in which they heralded the company’s environmental efforts, writing, “Uproot’s milks are sustainable, generating fewer greenhouse gases, requiring less water and using 56 percent less packaging waste than (their) dairy counterparts.” Uproot notes on its website that plant-based milks lead to an average of “80 percent less greenhouse gas emissions and require 77 percent less water

DAPHNE ZHAO / HERALD

to produce compared to dairy milk.” In addition, the dispenser eliminates the need for individual cartons or bottles, reducing waste by 1000 pounds per year. The company is unique because each milk is dispensed from concentrate, Eve said. Unlike juice served from concentrate, water is not removed, but added to create the creamy milks that are now available to add to a cup of

the Ratty’s signature Rwanda coffee, or a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. While Cricket McNally ’22, who is vegan, says that the University generally offers a significant number of vegan options in the dining halls, she has eagerly anticipated the addition of the Uproot milks to the Ratty. “I am so excited,” McNally said. “I don’t really like putting soy milk in my coffee, I’d » Seem MILK, page 2

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

NEWS Brown Venture Prize awards $25,000 to software that simplifies asylum application

NEWS Gov. Raimondo endorses bills to limit assault weapons, ban highcapacity mags

COMMENTARY Miller ’19: Brown must promote free speech but oppose Trump’s free speech executive order

COMMENTARY Lehmann ’19, Frolichstein-Appel ’19, Myln ’20, Solomon ’19: Jewish values support Divest

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R.I. House committee hears Gov., Attorney General gun safety bills Bills propose limiting assault weapons, prohibiting guns on school grounds By CLARA GUTMAN ARGEMÍ STAFF WRITER

Three gun safety bills endorsed by Gov. Gina Raimondo and Attorney General Peter Neronha were heard Tuesday at the House Judiciary Committee hearing. The bills propose limiting assault weapons, banning large capacity feeding devices and prohibiting guns on school grounds. Similar bills have been proposed previously but have not passed the General Assembly, according to WPRI. State Rep. Justine Caldwell, D-East Greenwich, is sponsoring the restriction on assault weapons and the ban on large capacity feeding devices. This is the first time these measures have been introduced in two separate bills. Caldwell believes that the bills are likely to pass because they were introduced on behalf of Raimondo and Neronha, with the nonpartisan endorsement of Col. James Manni of the Rhode Island State Police. “I am very optimistic that at least some of these bills will make it out of committee,” she told The Herald. “We are in a public health crisis of gun violence,” she added, arguing that the

bills would help address that crisis. The Assault Weapons Ban would prohibit anyone from carrying assault weapons outside of licensed shooting grounds, with the exception of active members of military service. The bill restricts, but does not ban, the sale of assault weapons and calls for owners to register their assault weapons with the police. The other bill sponsored by Caldwell bans both the sale and possession of any large capacity feeding device, defined as a device whose capacity can be extended to hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The third bill, sponsored by State Rep. Grace Díaz, D-Providence, would prohibit Concealed Carrier Permit holders from bringing firearms into schools, with some exceptions carved out for law enforcement officers. Caldwell endorsed this bill as well. “Sending our kids to school shouldn’t be an act of faith,” she said. Only four states, including Rhode Island, continue to allow CCP holders to enter schools with firearms, according to the RI Coalition Against Gun Violence. Defending these bills “is something worth fighting for,” said Grace Reed ’22, head coordinator for legislative and policy engagement at Thoughts Prayers Actions. She told The Herald that TPA endorses all the bills because they would reduce “common threats behind every major mass shooting that has happened recently.”

CLARA GUTMAN ARGEMI / HERALD

One of the bills would restrict Concealed Carrier Permit holders from bringing firearms into schools. Rhode Island is one of four states currently allowing CCP holders to enter schools with firearms. Frank Saccoccio, president of the Arthur Corvese, D-North Providence, For instance, Raimondo’s bills Rhode Island chapter of the National has an A-minus rating from the NRA would ban the kind of military-style, semiautomatic weapon used in the Rifle Association and the 2nd Amend- because of his past commitment to New Zealand mass shooting, which ment Coalition, said the NRA opposes pro-gun legislation, according to the killed 50 last weekend, from being car- the bills because “they have nothing Providence Journal. Corvese was at ried or sold anywhere in Rhode Island. to do with safety, and all to do with Tuesday’s hearing, but he declined “We strongly feel that assault weap- gun confiscation and going after law- to comment to The Herald on Raions are weapons of war that civilians abiding citizens.” He said he does not mondo’s bills. do not need to have access to,” Reed believe the bills will pass. “Everyone The committee recommended that said, adding that “reducing gun vio- has the right to protect themselves,” the bills be held for further study. lence is a smart idea from a public he added. health standpoint.” House Committee member Rep.

» MILK, from page 1 rather put almond milk. And almond milk is also better in cereal.” Eve and Mathieu founded the company last year, after working together extensively on the Brown Formula Racing team. Throughout their time on the team, “we had talked about building something or starting a company,” Eve said. “The company came out of Philip’s and my passion to build something, and then inspiration from this love for plant-based milk and engineering innovation,” Eve said. Inspired by his own dairy allergy and an internship with SharkNinja, a cleaning and kitchen appliance company, Eve decided “to make a company that could increase the sustainability of plant-based milks by dispensing them from concentrate.” From there, Uproot: Plant-Based Milk was born. “I formulated all of the recipes pretty much myself, in my apartment mixing them up during the fall, which was a lot of fun,” Eve said. Eve and Mathieu taste-tested each recipe, bringing their products to student gatherings to elicit feedback. “We eventually arrived at some plant milks that taste great,”

TED ORBEN / HERALD

Cambridge ’21, who was Ivy League Rookie of the Year last season, was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association District I Team this season.

» BBALL, from page 1 Penn in a winner-take-all matchup to end their Ivy League slate. With the loss, the Bears were eliminated from contention in the Ivy League Tournament, but they have since gained entry into the College Basketball Invitational.

Despite the news of Cambridge’s departure, the playoffs go on for the Bears. They will face the University of Alabama at Birmingham Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Pizzitola Sports Center in the first round of the CBI. Cambridge will not suit up for Brown, and it is still unclear what uniform he will be wearing next season.

Eve said. Plant-based milks have taken off in grocery stores and coffee shops globally. The New York Times recently chronicled “The Humble Ascent of Oat Milk” last January, and the milksubstitute was introduced to five U.S. Starbucks locations earlier this month, joining the ranks of soy, almond and coconut. Uproot decided to add chocolate pea milk alongside their more recognizable offerings because “peas have a lot of protein, so you can have a beverage that is sweet and chocolatey, but also has six grams of protein,” Eve said. “One of the things that we would love to do is make plant-based milks that are so good that people will start choosing them over dairy,” he added. The Ratty’s Uproot milk dispenser will mark the company’s first installation. Eve and Mathieu have held testing events at Salve Regina University and Johnson and Wales University. Moving forward, Eve said they hope “to expand to at least one other college in the Providence area, as well as start selling to coffee shops, restaurants and other food services.”

THIS COULD BE YOU. To advertise your: business student group event in The Herald, visit bdhsales.com.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 • PAGE 3

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Brown Venture Prize awards $50,000 to student start-ups

COURTESY OF JONAS CLARK

First prize winner developed software to simplify immigration forms for asylum seekers By ALEX REICE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

With a $25,000 prize on the line and a sold-out crowd of over 250 people, eight teams of young entrepreneurs took the stage last Wednesday for the second Brown Venture Prize Pitch Night, presenting their startup ideas and vying for the favor of seven alumni judges. The student startup Formally nabbed the grand prize, while the second and third prizes of $15,000 and $10,000 went to startups goTeff and Embonet, respectively. The eight finalists were selected from a pool of 27 applicants with both undergraduate and graduate members. Winners not only received funding, but also a trip to New York City in April, where they will be meeting with alums and investors, said Danny Warshay ’87,

executive director of the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship. The Venture Prize, supported by the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship and funded by Neil Parikh ’11 and Luke Sherwin ’12, is part of the Nelson Center’s effort to empower students to practice entrepreneurship, Warshay said. “We don’t consider ourselves a business factory, we are a center that empowers people to identify problems and develop solutions with impact,” Warshay said. The teams that entered and were selected for that final pitch prize night “are a good reflection of that emphasis,” he added. Led by Benjamin Murphy ’19, Diane Mutako ’20, Amelie Vavrovsky ’18 and Noah Picard ’18 GS, Formally is a software intended to simplify immigration forms for asylum seekers coming to the United States. Planned to launch April 1, it breaks down complicated immigration forms into “plain language” and provides translations while guiding applicants through one question at a time, Vavrovsky said. After growing up in the increasingly

Islamophobic and xenophobic country of Austria and working with refugees, Vavrovsky said she felt compelled to help develop the software for an immigration process that she calls “incredibly inhumane” and a “glaring problem.” In the United States, Vavrovsky said she noticed that asylum forms are almost impossible to complete without an attorney, but often asylum seekers are not provided with one. goTeff, the second place winner founded by Abenezer Simon Mechale and Saron Simon Mechale ’19, is a “mission-driven nutrition brand” that sells teff grain, a superfood from Ethiopia, and teff grain snacks. The student startup aims to provide improved nutrition to consumers in the United States while empowering Ethiopian farmers, according to the Nelson Center’s website. The third place prize went to EmboNET, an “embolic detection device,” which is a mesh device put into the body during heart bypass surgery that captures debris in the blood before it can travel up to the brain. Developed by Berke Buyukkucak ’18 GS,

The three winning teams received prize money and a trip to New York City to meet with investors and alums. RISD graduate Emily Holtzman, Gian Christian Ignacio ’18 MD ’22, Celina Hsieh ’18 MD ’22 and Ileana Pirozzi, the device consists of double-layered pocketed mesh, created by Holtzman, a RISD textile student. Theoretically, this device will reduce the risk of stroke and cerebral injury associated with cardiac bypass surgeries. With a team composed of two biomedical engineers, two medical students and one RISD student, EmboNET is “such a good example of the high priority we place on diversity of background, of training and of skill,” Warshay said. One of the goals of the Nelson Center is to “nurture an environment of accidental collisions,” he added. Though the Venture Prize goes to Brown students, those involved with the event hope it will support the larger innovation economy in Rhode Island. “We believe in entrepreneurship as a way to improve Rhode Island,” said Thorne Sparkman, the managing director of Slater Technology Fund. The Slater Technology Fund collaborates closely with the Nelson Center and provides seed money for startups in

Rhode Island. And while many entrepreneurs will leave the state, “Rhode Island is a place that you can wrap your arms around very easily,” Warshay added. “If you’re a Brown grad, it’s an environment you can get to know in your four years here,” and there’s an “easy continuity between your time as a student and a Rhode Island resident.” Michelle Petersen ’18, founder of the startup TextUp, a software for social services and nonprofits, came in third place at last year’s Brown Venture Pitch Prize Night. Since graduating, she has found Providence to be productive for startups, citing the Brown alumni network. “We were able to get expertise from a lot of Brown (alums) and Brown-affiliated folk, and almost all of it was entirely for free,” she said. Last year, “no one really knew what to expect,” but this year tickets were sold out, and “people were watching the live stream all over the world,” Warshay said. While only the second iteration of the Prize Night, the Brown Venture Prize and Nelson Center only plan to grow.

NEWS

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Swearer Center for Public Service to move to Stimson Avenue

DANIELLE EMERSON / HERALD

The Swearer Center will relocate from its previous location near the Rockefeller Library to a new location on Stimson Avenue in June, allowing for a bigger office space, closer proximity to community partners and new rooms for collaboration among students. The Stimson Avenue location was previously occupied by the Carney Institute for Brain Science.

New location near Nelson Fitness Center to increase space, accessibility, feature study rooms By TYLER JACOBSON STAFF WRITER

The Swearer Center for Public Service is set to move to 2 Stimson Ave. near the Nelson Fitness Center from its current location near the Rockefeller Library in June. The move will double the Center’s current office space and feature new rooms for student collaboration. The primary reason behind the move is that “we have outgrown our current space” at 25 George St., said Executive Director of the Swearer Center Mathew

Johnson. The Swearer Center’s staff has grown from 13 to 25 over the past three years, he added. The “traffic and collaboration” among PhD students, graduate students and Swearer Center staff “has greatly increased as well.” Diana Cruz ’21, a member of the Swearer Center Student Advisory Committee, said that while the current space has a “cozy, homey vibe,” she feels “squished” and that “people are working on top of each other.” “I had noticed from just being at the (current location) the need for more space,” Cruz said. “Seeing how joyous the staff was about the move rubbed off on me and made me feel like this is the right step in the Swearer Center’s history. There’s a lot of excitement around the move.”

The new Swearer Center location will also add two registrar-owned classrooms that students can reserve for study space, as well as an office for the SAC, Johnson said. Cruz said that it has been difficult for the SAC to schedule meetings at the current location because they do not have a reserved space within the building. But a room dedicated to the SAC at 2 Stimson Ave. will facilitate meetings and communication between members, she added. “We care very much about having a place for our community partners and (students) to be able to engage with us, and to have a place for them to build a community amongst themselves,” said Asia Stevens, administrative assistant at the Swearer Center. While the bulk of the move is

scheduled to take place in June, “some external work may still have to be done over the summer, such as (adding) an accessibility entrance,” Johnson said. Currently, the Center’s building at 25 George St. is not accessible for students with physical disabilities. Stevens acknowledged that the new location near the Nelson “is not necessarily (regarded) as the center of campus … (but) we (will be) closer to Thayer Street, and I feel like there’s a lot of student life that happens over there.” The move will also bring the Swearer Center closer to some of its community partners, such as Hope High School, Stevens said. “The center of gravity of the campus is going to slowly shift over the next couple of years with the construction” of the new

Performing Arts Center, the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship and the health and wellness center and residence hall, Johnson said. “A lot of that energy is going to be redistributed to that part of campus. … We’re really excited to be at the nexus of that.” Constructed in 1861 as a single-family Italian Villa, the building at 2 Stimson Ave. was most recently occupied by the Carney Institute for Brain Science, which relocated to the newly renovated building at 164 Angell St., The Herald previously reported. The University is “still evaluating” what will be the best use for the building at 25 George St. once the Swearer Center staff moves out, wrote Associate Provost for Academic Space Leah VanWey in an email to The Herald.

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 • PAGE 5

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CORRECTION A previous version of the March 18 op-ed “Vote Yes on Divestment” stated that “financial aid is mainly comprised from donors that support The Brown Promise.” In fact, funding for financial aid comes from the University operating budget, which benefits from a variety of funding sources, including donors. The Herald regrets the error.

C L A R I F I C AT I O N

crossword

A previous version of the March 18 op-ed “Vote Yes on Divestment” stated that “divestment from specific companies would most likely not have a substantial effect on financial aid.” In fact, the statistical data on BrownTogether and The Brown Promise suggest that University donations are growing at unprecedented rates, which, depending on how much un-endowed money we have raised, means that divestment from specific companies may not have a substantial effect on financial aid.

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

“We don’t consider ourselves a business factory, we consider ourselves a center that empowers people to

”

identify and solve meaningful problems.

— Danny Warshay ’87, executive director of the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship

See venture on page 3. calendar TODAY

MARCH

Workday Reporting Basics Training 10:00 A.M. South Street Landing

Intro to 529’s 12:00 P.M. South Street Landing, 499

University Community Council Meeting 4:00 P.M. Campus Center

Audible Futures: The Blues 5:30 P.M. Center for Students of Color

TOMORROW New Employee Advisory Program 12:00 P.M. South Street Landing

Robotics Talk: Girish Chowdhary 12:00 P.M. CIT

LingLangLunch 2:00 P.M. Metcalf Research Building

OIP Movie Night Intouchables 7:00 P.M. Page-Robinson Hall

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

University is taking steps to continue to support graduate students of color To the Editor: Brown’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan emphasizes the University’s commitment to strengthening the diversity of our community by recruiting students, faculty and staff from historically underrepresented groups to campus. We are equally committed to cultivating an inclusive environment in which all individuals are able to thrive and contribute to the University’s mission. This is not only the right thing to do — it is also essential if we are to benefit fully from the exceptionally talented individuals who choose to come to Brown to advance knowledge through teaching and research and to make a difference in the world. The recent March 6 op-ed, “The URC must do more to support graduate students of color,” demonstrates that while we’re making real progress attracting graduate students of color, we need to do more to ensure that the climate in every academic and administrative department reflects these core values, and that graduate students of color both experience and believe that this is their university. I am grateful to the graduate students who wrote the op-ed for raising their concerns, and for taking the time to meet with me to discuss them in greater detail. Supporting the success of graduate students of color is essential, and Brown launched several pilot programs to advance this goal, including Diversity Preview Day, Graduate Student of Color Orientation and GSOC RESET. I have committed to supporting these initiatives in the coming years through provost discretionary funds, while also planning to submit the request to the University Resources Committee in the next

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budget cycle to secure permanent funding. In addition, to ensure that diversity concerns are top of mind during the annual budgeting process, we will add a representative to the URC who will be appointed by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity. While it is the responsibility of every URC member to consider the University’s diversity and inclusion priorities throughout the budget development process, having this expertise on the URC will ensure focused attention. I recognize that we have substantial work to do to achieve our aspirations. It is simply not acceptable to hear reports from students, faculty or staff of the instances of bias they experience on our campus. President Paxson and I are personally committed to changing this reality and working to create a truly inclusive community. For example, in addition to funding programs such as Diversity Preview Day, GSOC Orientation and GSOC RESET, my office is partnering with the OIED to expand professional development opportunities for faculty and staff to understand more fully the experience of HUG students and scholars. Brown is making important strides strengthening graduate student diversity; continued progress requires ensuring that the experience of our students is both encouraging and empowering. We know this, and will continue to work with the Graduate School and graduate students of color to provide the resources needed to be successful.

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Free freedom of speech EMILY MILLER Opinions Editor On March 2, President Donald Trump announced his plan to issue an executive order in favor of free speech at public and private universities. Speaking before the Conservative Political Action conference, Trump outlined his proposal, which would also withhold federal aid to schools that do not comply. Trump’s crowd, which included many college-age conservatives, roared in approval — names such as Milo Yiannopoulos, Charles Murray and Ann Coulter probably reverberated in their heads. In part, Trump wanted to chasten liberal colleges that he saw as shutting out conservative voices from their campus dialogues. Trump’s action can be seen as an attempt to normalize right-wing speech and lend credibility to extremists whose views run counter to facts and science. These designs cannot be ignored. Yet, if we champion freedom of speech under the aegis of testing ideas, is it not necessary to at least hear multiple sides of the argument? Thus, within reason, I begrudgingly accept on a theoretical level Trump’s attempt to keep open campus dialogue. Still, his misguided contingency plan, which uses federal funding as both the carrot and the stick, allows the executive branch of the government to supplant the judiciary and become the de facto arbiter of every form of “free” speech. It is no secret that Brown mainly brings liberal speakers to campus. A

2018 study found that 94.5 percent of speakers at the University lean ideologically left. This in part reflects on and caters to a majority politically liberal student body. Since the 2018 study, Brown has made a concerted effort to invite more conservative voices, including Jeb Bush and Bill Kristol. While these speakers have received backlash from the community before they arrived on campus, they nonetheless delivered their talks and voiced their opinions to a respectful, if skeptical, audience. The same has not been true at all universities. At Claremont McKenna College, 250 people blocked entrances to a speech given by Heather Mac Donald, a conservative speaker who has crit-

ideas worthy of public challenge? Yes, I understand that specific speakers may be so unpalatable to Brown because of specific racist or misogynistic comments or actions. These are the easiest to see as objectionable, and it is my hope that no campus organization would be so out of tune with basic human dignity to invite a speaker that touts the legitimacy of such views. Yet, if they did, one must balance whether the proper course of action is to ban them from campus or to ignore the speaker. I believe the fulcrum point is the latter — ignore or disprove a speaker rather than risk creating a news storm which provides fodder for the speaker’s narrative of liberal perse-

a question we should not be faced with. The University would be harmed if the federal government jeopardized its funding. According to OpenTheBooks, Brown received $816 million in federal contracts, grants and direct payments between 2010 and 2015. This is no paltry sum next to our $3.5 billion endowment. These federal funds are used for research, tuition and the recruitment of new professors. Certainly, losing federal funds would negatively impact our campus. Perhaps even more daunting, there are tangible consequences of allowing the government to control our freedom of speech, especially when under the helm of a fickle, biased and eas-

Is it worth de-platforming certain speakers at the cost of federal aid or campus autonomy? icized Black Lives Matter and argued for racial profiling. Claremont McKenna suspended five students in charge of the protest for at least a semester. The University of California, Berkeley dominated the news cycle when they canceled Milo Yiannopoulos’s event. Without doubt, it is unfair to compare the messages of Messrs. Bush and Kristol, one a former presidential primary opponent of Trump and the latter an outspoken Trump critic, to the far right-wing positions of Mac Donald and the lightly veiled neo-Nazi palaver of professional provocateur Yiannopoulos. Should universities allow almost any speaker invited to campus to speak? And if not, how does one establish the proper demarcation point — if any — without engaging in censorship of the

cution. Nothing would please me more than to have every chair empty in Solomon 101 if a rabble-rousing and illogical Trump mouthpiece came to campus. Students could also boycott particularly odious speakers and host supplementary talks debunking claims made by them. It is also not so simple when such speech goes beyond the indecent to the incendiary — thus using the speech to beguile the audience. At Brown, we have a theoretical belief about which speakers should be provided a platform at the University. Given Trump’s manifest threat to withhold funding, however, these ideals cannot be separated from their potential practical consequences. Is it worth de-platforming certain speakers at the cost of federal aid or campus autonomy? That is

ily swayed president with little moral compass or desire to understand political compromise. While Trump claims to support all instances of free speech, he has proven otherwise — banning CNN correspondent Jim Acosta from the White House is just one example of a trove of anti-free speech actions. To Trump, there is little to no difference between voicing your opinion counter to his own and attacking and silencing his voice. Trump shows a propensity to censor specific kinds of speech when college students rightfully protest something, anything, they find objectionable. His arbitration would remove freedom of speech from the democratic process, in which the judiciary branch should decide what constitutes the bounds of free speech.

In a Trumpian world, his word would be absolute and rational argument would be shrouded in secrecy, away from the public discussion. The looming threat of slashing federal funds would only exacerbate the issue and may force universities to make decisions that harm campus culture in favor of protecting their coffers. Yes, freedom of speech is a positive reality at Brown. It gives students the agency to voice their opinions freely, hear counterarguments beyond their normal echo chambers and thwart false cries of persecution from conservatives. But allowing the federal government a broad mandate to decide what constitutes free speech has frightening policy implications. Thus, we must stop Trump’s executive order in its tracks by promoting freedom of speech on campus. Trump is beholden to the (Fox) news cycle. If college campuses do not fuel the media narrative, he will most likely not bring it up himself. At Brown, we should stay committed to freedom of speech by allowing speakers to come to campus and, except in the most extreme circumstances, either ignore or actively debate them on points of contention — if only to protect our unfettered right to freedom of speech, without government scrutiny.

Emily Miller ’19 can be reached at emily_miller@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

A Jewish case for Brown Divest EVAN LEHMANN, SAM FROLICHSTEINAPPEL, NOAH BYCK MLYN, BRIAN SOLOMON op-ed contributors As a group of Jewish students, we feel compelled to oppose injustice across the world in all of its forms, and we stand in solidarity with Palestinian people who are subject to human rights abuses. We draw inspiration for our activism from both our religious tradition and our political history, and we are proud members of the Brown Divest coalition. While every member of the Brown Divest campaign has a unique and legitimate reason for advocacy on this issue, we feel particularly compelled to vocalize our opposition to Israeli violation of human rights as Jews in the United States. Our Jewish identity compels us to speak up for two primary reasons: Jewish religious and political history, and Israel’s claim to speak for all Jews. Next month, we will celebrate Passover, commemorating the exodus from Mitzrayim and the bondage we experienced there. The Torah reads, “and you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of

the stranger, since you were strangers in the land of Mitzrayim” (Exodus 23:9). If we’re committed to the Torah’s call for tikkun olam (repairing the world), to ger toshav (treating strangers as neighbors) and to chesed (loving-kindness), these values must extend to Palestinians. Jews throughout history have mobilized to stand in solidarity with other oppressed peoples. From the Jewish Labor Bund in 19th century Europe to Jewish students and clergy who participated in the Freedom Rides in the 1960s, progressive Jews have often

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “Israel is the national state, not for all of its people, but for Jews alone.” It is this rhetoric that compels us, as Jews, to act. We refuse to be spoken for by a nationstate whose policies too often rest on dispossession, displacement and violence against Palestinian people. While we are critical of the state of Israel and the policies his government pursues, we also implore all students to think deeply about how criticism of Israel can, and sometimes does, intersect with anti-Semitism.

gressions, setting it apart from other states around the world. The claim that advocating for Palestinian rights implicitly condones human rights violations elsewhere distracts from the real conditions Palestinians face. Singling out one area of injustice does not mean endorsing all other human rights abuses. Further, Brown Divest has continuously highlighted that the named companies facilitate human rights abuses in Palestine and in other areas of the world. With the Undergraduate Council of Students referendum, we are glad

As Jewish students, we stand both resolutely in support of Brown Divest and against anti-Semitism in all of its forms. seen their history of marginalization and oppression as reason to band together with other vulnerable groups, rather than isolate themselves or ally with state violence. While some argue that Israel’s aggression toward Palestinians is necessary in order to protect Jews both in the nation and elsewhere, we resist cynical, zero-sum calculations of Jewish safety that lead to isolation — and insist that we find the greatest safety in solidarity with oppressed people around the world. We are also compelled to speak out against Israel because Israel claims to speak for us. On March 11,

For example, claims that Israel’s oppressive policies are inherently tied to its Jewish character are anti-Semitic. However, calls for divestment and critiques of Israel and its policies are not inherently anti-Semitic. As Jewish students, we stand both resolutely in support of Brown Divest and against anti-Semitism in all of its forms. We believe that our opposition to human rights abuses and our abhorrence of religious persecution and bigotry can coexist. Some students have opined that the Brown Divest campaign singles out Israel’s moral and legal trans-

to see fellow students grappling with Brown’s investments, which reveal complicity in violence perpetrated against Palestinians. We are also disappointed by claims that this campaign has not fostered healthy dialogue. Far from shutting down dialogue, during the events that Brown Divest has sponsored this semester, we have participated in crucial conversations about some of the most pressing international issues of our time and our complicity in them. We are also excited by the earnestness with which Brown Divest members work to learn about anti-Semitism and how it oper-

ates, both through conversations with Jewish students during the organizing process and through attending Jewish Voice for Peace’s anti-Semitism workshop this semester. This process of learning and thinking through these issues together is far too important to shy away from. We implore other critical students to engage in this dialogue with us. As Jews who support Brown Divest, we are excited about the conversation the referendum opens about whether we, as Brown students, support the 52-year-old Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, or whether we stand against it, and demand that Brown take action to end our complicity in it. We hope you will join is voting #YesOnDivest.

Evan Lehmann ’19, Sam Frolichstein-Appel ’19, Noah Byck Mlyn ’20 and Brian Solomon ’19 can be reached at evan_lehmann@brown.edu, samuel_frolichstein-appel@brown.edu, noah_mlyn@brown.edu and

brian_solomon@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

NEWS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019

98 percent of med. students match with residency programs 123 of 125 students match with residency programs, around 44 percent to pursue primary care By CELIA HACK METRO EDITOR

Amid a flurry of red, white and brown balloons, fourth-year Alpert Medical School students tore open bright red envelopes on Friday to discover which residency programs they would be attending. The tradition, known as Match Day, revealed that 98 percent of the class — 123 of 125 students — matched with a residency program, wrote Kris Cambra, director of biomedical communications, in an email to The Herald. Over 99 percent of students matched last year, the Herald previously reported. “Almost all the students have matched, and they’ve matched with very wonderful programs,” said Allan Tunkel, associate dean for medical education. Fifty-five students, about 44 percent of the class, matched with primary care programs, including family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics, wrote Mollie Rappe, life sciences writer for the Office of University Communications, in an email to The Herald. The rest matched into specialty programs, including 21 who matched into surgery and 11 who matched into radiology.

This year also saw an increase in internal medicine residents, who will practice primary care for adults, Tunkel said. Around 30 people matched into internal medicine, said Darrel Gachette MD ’19. Nineteen students will complete all or part of their residency in Rhode Island with Brown-affiliated programs, according to a University news release. Last year, fourteen students planned to complete all or part of their residencies in Rhode Island, The Herald previously reported. “I’m on cloud nine,” said Gachette, after opening his envelope and discovering he would attend the NYU School of Medicine for internal medicine. “It’s been a grueling interview season.” The residency program application process for medical students takes several months. This year, applications opened in September with interviews taking place from October through January, according to the National Resident Matching Program. Tunkel estimates that students apply on average to 20 or 25 programs, though it varies by discipline. Bryan Le MD’19 and Alice Cao MD’19 applied to 17 and around 30 programs, respectively. For Cao, who’s going into anesthesiology, the interview process took around six months. “It’s so long,” Cao said. “I was interviewing for like six months. And you’re

SARAH MARTINEZ / HERALD

just on the road, telling them why you want to go into your specialty.” In February, students ranked the programs where they interviewed, and the programs did the same for everyone they interviewed, Tunkel said. “It goes into the computer and one day it comes out, and they find out the one place where they’ll be,” he added. For Le, the process lacked a sense of control he has had in other application experiences. “The way you get in is so different from the way you get into college or medical school,” Le said. “You don’t get

to see who takes you and decide from there. You have to kind of play your odds. … That’s why Match Day is so big, because you have no control over your fate, essentially.” Between the champagne, strawberries and live band, aspiring doctors high-fived and hugged family members and fellow students after opening their results. “I’m like shaking right now,” Cao said. “It’s an accumulation of all our hard work,” Le said. “It’s a relief to be going somewhere.”

» ERNST, from page 1 had played under Ernst. The captains also wrote “we need a coach that will be well respected by his players. … Our program cannot have a coach that looks at the head coaching position as a convenient paycheck.” A member of the 2014 search committee said they told Hayes about their concerns regarding Ernst’s character and coaching ability during that search. Former women’s tennis Head Coach Norma Taylor, who was not a member of the 2014 search committee, also expressed apprehension toward Ernst and wrote an email to Hayes stating her concerns during the 2014 search. Taylor said she did not think that Ernst would be “appropriate for the position.” While Ernst had critics involved with the search, some University alums favored his hiring, according to an individual familiar with Brown tennis. The individual preferred Bryan Koniecko over Ernst, who was ultimately hired in 2014. Koniecko coached at the University for two years but left to become the women’s tennis head coach at the University of Central Florida in 2016. When the position opened, Ernst applied again. Following the announcement of the indictments last week, the University underwent a “case-by-case review” of athletes and found no concerns connected to the bribery cases, according to a statement from Director of News and Editorial Development Brian Clark first reported in the Providence Journal. Ernst is next scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston March 25.

SHAKE SHACK OPEN

LEON JIANG / HERALD

Shake Shack’s first Rhode Island location will offer Ocean State themed items such as the “Chocolate Thayer Cake” custard and local beers from Narragansett Beer. The fast-food chain officially opens today at 11 a.m. at 249 Thayer Street.