The Brown Daily Herald M onday, S eptember 29, 2008
Volume CXLIII, No. 80
Since 1866, Daily Since 1891
Strait Talk chats it up on Taiwan By Nicole Dungca Staf f Writer
Since starting out as a simple idea from Johnny Lin ’08, the Strait Talk Symposium that brings together student delegates to discuss United States-China-Taiwan relations has transformed into an up-and-coming non-profit organization preparing to stand on its own. With the fourth annual Brown University Strait Talk symposium slated for the first week of November, Lin and Henry Shepherd ’08 are eager to expand their program to other campuses across the country, starting with a pilot program at the University of California, Berkeley. Founded in 2005 by Lin, the Strait Talk Symposium serves as a forum for 15 domestic and international student delegates to discuss the relationship between the United States, China and Taiwan. The expansion comes at a time of “great opportunity” for the historically frayed and sensitive ChineseTaiwanese relations, said Shepherd, pointing to some of the progress that has been made in the area in the past few years. Ma Ying-jeou, a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party, took office as President of Taiwan in May. Ying-jeou has proposed stronger economic relations between mainland China and Taiwan, and this summer leaders from both countries signed an agreement that would resuming direct flights between the two nations. Challenging old views Growing up in a household with a Taiwanese father and a mother who was born in Taiwan but has mainland Chinese roots, Lin said that he often heard family stories about the conflict. “I realized that when most of the people talk about the Taiwan Strait issue, we hear arguments instead of really listening to what the other side has to offer,” Lin said. Lin created his project in order to continued on page 4
Eunice Hong / Herald
President of the Dominican Republic Leonel Fernandez, Director of the Center for Latin American Studies James Green and former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos.
Fernandez: ‘Democracy in Latin America needs a bailout’ By Jyotsna Mullur Contributing Writer
President Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic arrived in Salomon 101 to standing ovation from students, faculty, administrators and local Providence citizens who filled the auditorium nearly to capacity on Friday afternoon. Fernandez spoke at length about the histor y of his nation since it gained independence from
neighboring Haiti more than 100 years ago, but he also addressed the current financial crisis’ effects outside the United States. “Because of what is happening in the U.S., this will create a historical change for us — and the rest of Latin America.” Unlike previous lectures in the Stephan A. Ogden Jr. ’60 Memorial Lecture Series, which have included only the featured speaker, the 80th lecture in this
series took a dif ferent format. Former President of Chile and Professor at Large Ricardo Lagos participated in what moderator James Green, director of Brown’s Center for Latin American Studies, called an “inter-American dialogue” about the Dominican Republic “in the context of the Caribbean, the Americas and the World.” Fernandez was elected for his third term as president of the Do-
Underground looks to get on students’ radar By Anita Mathews Contributing Writer
On a given Saturday night, when most Brown students are eating on Thayer Street, going out to Fish Co. or studying in the Sciences Library, Adam Leonard ’10 is nestled in a corner of the Faunce House basement. As general manager of the Underground, Brown’s on-campus bar, Leonard works to provide a place where students can enjoy music and inexpensive
minican Republic in May. Born in the capital city of Santo Domingo, he completed secondary school in New York City. His address, “The Transformation of the Dominican Republic,” included a short description of the nation’s modern histor y, in which he emphasized the desire of the Dominican people to create a stable democratic government. continued on page 4
EPIC VICTORY
drinks with their friends. In an effort to draw more of a crowd, he is also the booking manager this year, scheduling nationally touring bands and opening up the space for group events. In recent years the Underground has seen a dip in student interest, which Leonard sees as regrettable. To counteract this and revive the bar, Leonard has booked Miss Fairchild, Cavashawn continued on page 4
‘This is Brown!’ Four rooms go mixed-gender
Gender-neutral housing rare but loved By Emmy Liss Senior Staff Writer
Sofia Unanue ’11 has, by now, observed her roommate’s daily rituals enough times to know them by heart. “In the morning, Sam wakes up, goes to take a shower, looks in the mirror, puts on purple tightywhities…” “They’re not tighty-whities; they’re
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CAMPUS NEWS
boxer briefs!” Sam Yambrovich ’11 and Unanue are typical roommates in all but one sense: Yambrovich is male and Unanue is female. Last spring, the Office of Resi-
FEATURE dential Life announced that for the first time, certain doubles on campus would be designated as gender-neutral. For the pilot program, ResLife strategically chose six residence halls, comprising about a third of upperclassmen doubles. Only four
Welcome to College hill Sock and Buskin performs its new play “Funnyhouse of a Negro.”
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CAMPUS NEWS
rooms were chosen in the housing lottery by mixed gender groups though, according to ResLife. Richard Bova, senior associate dean of Residential Life, speculated that the small number could be in part due to groups choosing suites or apartments, rather than traditional doubles, in the housing lottery. He also suggested that the novelty of the program might have impacted the numbers. Still, Yambrovich and Unanue were surprised to hear they were in continued on page 6
HEGEMAN ASBESTOS Don’t worry — the University says it’s safe. Just don’t hide a time capsule in your floor.
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OPINIONS
Justin Coleman / Herald
The football team drowned Harvard 22-24 in a rainy Saturday matchup. The game was Bruno’s first victory over Crimson since 1999.
CORPORATION DEMYSTIFIED Ben Bernstein ‘09 sticks it to the man, explaining why students should join the Corporation.
195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island
See Sports, Page 12
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CRIMSON BLUSHES In case you hadn’t heard, we’ve beat our peer instituion in something — football!
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