The Brown Daily Herald Wednesday, A pril 16, 2008
Volume CXLIII, No. 52
Since 1866, Daily Since 1891
U. looking in-house for West’s replacement
Simmons sells U. to prefrosh Class of 2012 ‘most beautiful and most handsome,’ pres. says
Public policy center director headed to Brookings Institution
By Nick Bakshi Contributing Writer
in the sun amid miniature cardboard coffins in front of Faunce House, one of three separate protest installations vying for attention on the Main Green and Lincoln Field. “It’s definitely a ver y active, vocal campus,” said Laura Fried, who arrived from Kansas City, Mo. on Monday, while browsing in the Brown Bookstore. “I have
More than 700 prospective first-year students crammed into a large tent on the Main Green yesterday, chattering with excitement and anticipation as they waited for President Ruth Simmons and Dean of Admission Jim Miller ’73 to give the opening speeches for this year’s A Day On College Hill. The speeches, filled with praise for both the Class of 2012 and for Brown as a whole, emphasized the University’s open curriculum and uniquely collaborative approach to learning as key reasons for choosing Brown. Miller spoke first, keeping the mood light by beginning with a few routine jokes. “I just want to reassure you, I voted for every one of you,” he said to a cacophony of applause and laughter. Simmons followed, reviving the cheers by lauding the future first-years as the University’s “brightest, most creative and most diverse class yet,” adding “most beautiful and most handsome” to the list of superlatives shortly
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By Sophia Li Senior Staf f Writer
The unexpected departure of the head of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions has left administrators scrambling to fill his shoes from within the University. Professor of Political Science Darrell West announced earlier this month that he will leave Brown after 26 years for a position at the Brookings Institution, a liberal public policy think tank in Washington. West, who has directed the Taubman Center for the past eight years, will become Brookings’ vice president and director for governance studies. Though West wasn’t actively seeking a job, Brookings approached him about the position, he said. He will oversee the program and encourage its 30 scholars to come up with ideas that will “improve the American government and governmental democracy,” he said. Since his announcement, administrators have decided to replace him with someone from Brown. “We will need to have someone from the inside step in on July 1 when Darrell leaves,” said Dean of the Faculty Rajiv Vohra P’07. Vohra said that because West will be leaving so soon, a “full-blown external search” for a replacement for the Taubman Center’s director is impossible. The internal search for a replacement will require consulting other faculty involved with the Taubman Center for their recommendations, Vohra said. Vohra, who will direct the search, said he hasn’t yet begun talking to faculty about West’s replacement. Vohra said he doesn’t know if West’s replacement will assume the position of director temporarily or permanently. “We have not decided on a longterm strategy other than clearly understanding that the Taubman Center is an important unit on campus,” Vohra said. West is only the second director of the center, which was created in 1984. He was appointed director after the center’s first director retired, said Brett Clifton PhD’02, assistant director of the Taubman Center and lecturer in public policy. West said the Taubman Center raised $10 million for its endowment during his eight years as director, helping to fund new faculty chairs, internship programs and general program support. During his di-
Kim Perley / Herald
Maps and packets in tow, prospective students criss-crossed campus Tuesday for A Day on College Hill.
Accepted hit campus for ADOCH By Colin Chazen Contributing Writer
“For all those of you visiting, registration begins in Leung Gallery at 4 p.m. And the dance party begins right now,” announced a Brown Student Radio DJ through speakers on the Main Green Tuesday afternoon. The music played in front of a large white tent set up to greet the hundreds of prospec-
Freshman Suspect arrested in armed robbery pleads guilty to voyeurism By Max Mankin S enior S taf f Writer
By Alex Roehrkasse Senior Staff Writer
Former varsity hockey player Harrison Zolnierczyk ’11 pleaded guilty to the production and distribution of voyeuristic materials in a British Columbia court Friday. Zolnierczyk had also faced more serious charges of child pornography, which were dropped as part of a plea bargain, the prosecution told The Herald. The voyeurism charges carry a minimum sentence of a discharge without a criminal record and a maximum sentence of six months in jail and three months probation, Provincial Crown Counsel Gordon Baines said. However, the charges are the result of a new law passed in British Columbia in 2003, so prosecutors have no precedent for sentencing, Baines said. He would not disclose the sentence he will request before the judge at Zolnierczyk’s sentencing hearing June 6 in Port Alberni provincial court. The guilty plea was entered by Zolnierczyk’s lawyer Richard Fowler. Zolnierczyk did not appear in court last week to enter the plea, Baines said, though he must be present for his sentencing hearing. Zolnierczyk and Fowler did not
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HIGHER ED
FEWER FRESHMeN After 2008, researchers predict college applicant numbers will fall, but more minorities may apply
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tive students and parents visiting yesterday from across the countr y for A Day on College Hill, the University’s annual twoday event for accepted students mulling the decision to attend Brown. Walking five feet in front of their parents, as if determined to begin the inevitable separation right then, few prospective students seemed bothered by the sight of undergrads lounging
On Tuesday morning, the Providence Police Depar tment arrested a woman believed to have been involved in an armed robber y around midnight Friday. At 12:27 a.m. Saturday, after a male and female walked by a white SUV parked near the
intersection of Brown and Cushing Streets, a female occupant of the vehicle approached them, asked for gas money, displayed a knife and demanded the female passer-by’s purse, said Mark Porter, chief of police and director of public safety. The victims were then confronted by a male occupant of the car, who took the male pe-
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tr u th f u l , b u t n o t c o n v e n i e n t
Quinn Savit / Herald
Janus Forum panelists spoke on the challenges advocates of climate change face if they don’t speak in apocalyptic rhetoric.
SEE CAMPUS NEWS, PAGE 5
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CAMPUS NEWS
destrian’s backpack, he said. After the incident, the suspects left and drove nor th on Brown Street, according to an e-mail sent to the Brown community Saturday afternoon. Neither of the victims was injured. In the e-mail, the alleged
Guitar heroes A music professor is listening to students sound off on the popular game
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OPINIONS
banner blues Tyler Rosenbaum ‘11 thinks Banner has no place deciding what classes he’s prepared for
195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island
tomorrow’s weather Hey, prefrosh: It’s sunny like this all the time. We swear.
sunny, 66 / 40 News tips: herald@browndailyherald.com