F R I D A Y FEBRUARY 21, 2003
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXVIII, No. 21
An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891
ResCouncil passes co-ed housing resolution
Chaplin to leave DSS; Brown will fill position in the near future BY MONIQUE MENESES
Although Assistant Dean Elyse Chaplin, the coordinator for Disability Support Services, will leave the University by the end of this week, her position will be filled in the near future, according to Director of Student Life Jean Joyce-Brady. Chaplin is moving to Toronto to get married and said she plans to continue educational consulting with students that have disabilities at a post-secondary level. The Office of Student Life was granted an exemption from the University’s hiring freeze policy to look for someone to replace Chaplin. “It’s an important position that cannot be left vacant for long. We really need to have a professional on campus,” JoyceBrady said. The deadline for the search for a new coordinator is as of yet undetermined, said Joyce-Brady. “As soon as possible is our deadline,” she said. “But, we hope that before the end of the semester, we’ll have someone to replace Dean Chaplin.” In the meantime, Joyce-Brady said if students have any problems or concerns they
BY LOTEM ALMOG
Residential Council passed a co-ed suite resolution on Thursday that advocates the complete integration of most non-freshman housing on campus. This resolution differs from previous measures ResCouncil has taken to promote co-ed housing in that it specifically addresses concerns voiced by the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students on campus. “Co-ed housing is necessary for many LGBTA students. Issues of coming out, subsequent awkwardness around members of the same sex and sexual tension are all reasons we feel strongly about this,” said LGBTA member Jesse Sacks ’05. Masha Dexter ’05.5 and Sacks attended the meeting to represent the general opinion of the LGBTA. Both said the housing policy is heterosexist in assuming that students Brian Baskin / Herald
First-years Meg Sullivan, Sarah Modiano and Jillian Moo-Young of the “Fat Bottom Girls” were one of six groups vying for first place in Thursday’s lip sync contest.
Housing lottery lip sync a hit
see DSS, page 4
Andrews flooding on zero floor cause of minor damage A burst pipe in Andrews Hall early Tuesday morning left the zero floor of the west side of the building covered in two inches of standing water. A window left open in the fourth floor stairwell is believed to have caused a pipe for the sprinkler system to burst, said Eric Noble ’05, a Residential Counselor on the first floor of Andrews. The water from the pipe flowed down the stairwell and through the halls and rooms of the zero floor, he said. The burst pipe also activated the fire alarm, forcing students to evacuate the building for about 15 minutes at 3 a.m., Noble said. Zero floor residents returned to their hall to find “a lake on top of the carpet,” said Sarah Sussman ’06, a zero floor resident. Facilities management arrived at approximately noon on Tuesday with wet vacuums to evacuate the standing water, Sussman said. Facilities management was not aware of the situation until a student called at approximately 10 a.m. to inquire about when it would be evacuated, she said. The water damaged carpets, clothing, books and anything else that was left on the floor, Sussman said. Not many expensive items were damaged by the water, she said. The University provided dry cleaning for any affected textiles including carpets and clothing, Sussman said. The police told residents to take pictures and create a list of damaged items, but students have not heard anything further about compensation, Sussman said. —Lisa Mandle
BY JESSICA TOOKER
Last night, the pulsating rhythms and catchy tunes of everything from Michael Jackson to Ani DiFranco blasted out of Carmichael Auditorium as four groups of first-years vied for the chance to win the annual Housing Lottery Lip Synching Contest and select any on-campus housing. The winners were the six first-years of “The Five (oops!) I mean Six Jacksons” — Sarah Hurwit ’06, Shula Grossman ’06, Dana Kroplick ’06, Elizabeth Sheets ’06, Stacey Ackerman-Alexeeff ’06 and Sadie
Barchini ’06. Beginning their performance with a skit in which they brainstormed ideas for the lip sync, the winners then segued into a medley of Michael Jackson classics. After the performance, some audience members predicted the final decision, saying “It’s in the bag” and “Just give them the keys.” “Our unit is so sick of hearing Michael Jackson,” Barchini said with a laugh.
Nick Noon ’05 says Brown is in position to make advances in Latino Studies column, page 7
see RESCOUNCIL, page 4
Deadly fire in West Warwick nightclub A fast-spreading fire swept through a crowded West Warwick nightclub last night, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens, many critically, MSNBC reported. According to authorities, the blaze resulted in an unknown number of deaths, the Associated Press reported. Shortly after 11 p.m., pyrotechnic effects from a musical act onstage ignited first the ceiling and then soundproofing material on the walls of The Station, a popular music venue. Within minutes, the club was engulfed
see LIP SYNC, page 5 see FIRE, page 5
Group of students gather to discuss race and relationships BY MOMOKO HIROSE
Despite increasing professional and educational success among black women, stereotypes of gender roles have left many professional women single even after the age of 40, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Ten women discussed this issue and others at a forum titled “Black Women in Relationships” Thursday. “I think a lot of the times for black women, there’s so many other things going on on campus that it’s difficult for us to just sit down and talk together,” Coordinator Andrea O’Neal ’03 told The Herald. O’Neal presented common stereotypes for black women, such as the caretaker revered for her maternal role but chastised as a castrator — “strong black woman” — or the ticking time bomb who rolls her eyes and snaps her fingers — “angry black woman.” The goal of the event was to see “the aspects of social perceptions of what the black woman’s construction is supposed
to be like versus what she chooses to internalize, and how that manifests itself in the kinds of relationships she chooses to entertain,” O’Neal said. Celeste Malone ’03 said these images create conflicts within relationships. “The big thing about masculinity is public image,” Malone said. “There’s almost a clash with masculinity and the strong black woman because the strong black woman is a threat to his masculinity, but being submissive and passive downplays your position.” Malone added that images in media, family and friends seem to pressure men to live up to a certain standard, especially with their masculinity. Shirley Johnson ’04 said images and gender roles tend to be carried out for so long that no one considers whether or not they are problematic. “I feel like, with domestic work, all of the women on both sides of my family Alex Palmer / Herald
see FORUM, page 5
I N S I D E F R I D AY, F E B RUA RY 2 1 , 2 0 0 3 Sock and Buskin’s “Valparaiso” offers great acting skill, but only a decent script arts and culture,page 3
www.browndailyherald.com
Increased budget spending on NASA is a mistake, says Chris Senio ’04 column, page 7
Participants in Thursday’s forum.
TO D AY ’ S F O R E C A S T Women’s ski team prepares for Nationals after finishing season sports, page 8
Men’s swimming falls to Cornell despite winning six of 11 races sports, page 8
mostly sunny high 48 low 29