W E D N E S D A Y FEBRUARY 4, 2004
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXIX, No. 6
An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891
www.browndailyherald.com
Panelists debate future of IsraeliPalestinian conflict BY STEWART DEARING
The status of democracy in Israel must be considered from the Palestinian perspective, said one speaker at a panel discussion on the Arab-Israeli conflict Tuesday night. Issam Aburaya, a postdoctoral fellow in political science, was one of four guests on the panel, which drew more than 400 people to Salomon 101. Each panelist represented a different view on the subject. The panel was part of “Democracy & Peace,” a day-long series designed to explore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Professor Kenneth Stein, professor of contemporary Middle Eastern history, political science and Israeli studies at Emory University, said a strengthened government in Israel will lead to peace and equality. Stein said Israel exists amidst “a uniquely Jewish political culture,” which has developed from the history of the Jewish people. “The history of Israel’s evolution was dominated by a sense of insecurity and a desperate need to survive. As Israel becomes more secure in its tenure, it has released control over Palestinians and gradually allowed them more freedom within the state,” he said. But Yoav Peled, professor of political science at Tel Aviv University, said it’s important to focus on the need for peace before democracy. “Violence undermines democracy,” he said. “As long as Palestinian territory is under Israel’s rule, there is no way democracy can work.” Aburaya, a Palestinian Israeli citizen, argued that Israel originated as an authority to suit Israeli-American interests and suppresses interests of Palestinians. “The conflict in this area must be reexamined and questions of democracy reasked to include Israeli Palestinian rights,” and mutual recognition of pain would be the first step toward understanding and a
Marissa Hauptman / Herald
Four academics, including Issam Aburaya (far right), a postdoctoral fellow in political science, expressed different views on the IsraeliPalestinian conflict at a panel in Salomon 101 Tuesday night.
Simmons updates faculty on campus initiatives, current challenges
had to think quickly, she said. The roundtable panels, some of which consisted of professional athletes, would say “(St. Louis Rams quarterback) Kurt Warner throws like …” and point to a contestant, who would then finish the sentence, Potts said. ESPN invited 150 “stand-out” contestants to continue on to the regional rounds in Atlanta, Ga., Louisiana, New York City and Chicago, Ill. A final round of 35 hopefuls competed in New York the
She also said the University will soon announce the creation of six new endowed chairs for teaching, which will be “very lucrative” for the faculty members who receive them. The University expects to put $8 million toward need-blind admission by fiscal year 2005, Simmons said. “Early signs are that (potential donors) are responding very well to the financial aid initiative,” she said. Brown has already invested $15 million to improve its network and classroom technology and administrative systems, Simmons said. The University hopes to have its admissions, financial aid, record-keeping and registration systems all running under the Banner enterprise system a year from now, she said. “Imagine — Brown University, (and) we don’t have online registration,” she said. Over the next decade, the University will devote an estimated $300 million to facilities rehabilitation and construction, Simmons told the faculty. The sum is in addition to $200 million worth of projects already completed or underway. But the level of financing available and individual donor wishes will dictate the sequence of upcoming projects, Simmons said. The challenge is convincing donors to forego their personal interests and put money toward “what’s best for Brown,” she said. The breakneck pace of renovations will continue for the foreseeable future, Simmons said. “I see no alternative to a
see HASKINS, page 5
see FACULTY, page 4
BY JONATHAN ELLIS
President Ruth Simmons delivered an update to faculty members on the Initiatives for Academic Enrichment at a faculty meeting Tuesday, previewing the broad physical and financial growth the University will undergo in the coming decade. Also at the meeting, faculty members introduced four of this year’s Faculty Scholars. Simmons detailed many of the actions already underway as a result of the initiatives. The University has sent out so many materials about the plan that people sometimes correct her when she misspeaks about the proposals while fundraising, Simmons said. Simmons said she has been on the
see PANEL, page 6
road for the past few weeks, and she told the faculty, “Traveling for the campaign is a very large part of my job.” Simmons said she is preparing to present a long-term plan to the Corporation at its meeting this month. She lauded the Corporation for its earlier decision to authorize advance funds for the immediate execution of some elements of the initiatives. While Corporation members were initially “nervous” about those investments, they are “now wondering whether they did enough,” she said. Simmons did not elaborate on how those funds were put to use. Immediately after the Corporation meeting, the University will begin announcing recent donations in batches, Simmons said.
Haskins ’04.5 to appear on ESPN reality show as finalist for ‘SportsCenter’ anchor position BY KIRA LESLEY
Four weeks ago, Maggie Haskins ’04.5 was planning to graduate in May and begin the search for a job as a lowly production assistant. A few days later, a producer from ESPN called her and asked, “Hey, do you mind if we throw a wrench in that?” Now Haskins, former sports editor for The Herald, may be on the fast track to a job as a national sports anchor on ESPN’s marquee show, “SportsCenter.” Last September, Haskins entered ESPN’s nationwide search for contest-
ants for the network’s upcoming reality TV show, “Dream Job.” In December, the 10,000 Americans who tried out were whittled down to 12 finalists who will appear on the show, competing for the ultimate prize — a one-year contract to be a SportsCenter anchor. During the original 29-city tour in September, groups of about 30 contestants at a time were given a seven-minute sports trivia test, said Keri Potts, an ESPN spokesperson. Then about 10 contestants in each city were taken in for roundtable discussions in which contestants
I N S I D E W E D N E S D AY, F E B RUA RY 4 , 2 0 0 4 New Web sites claim to give high school seniors their chances of college admission campus watch, page 3
University of Pennsylvania announces new president campus watch, page 3
Ellen Hunter ’04 says President George W. Bush is the real race candidate column, page 11
TO D AY ’ S F O R E C A S T Women’s ice hockey team sees weekend success, rises to second place in rankings sports, page 12
Women’s swimming pulls out victory by combining old and new sports, page 12
windy high 43 low 22