The Brown Daily Herald Wednesday, O ctober 8, 2008
Volume CXLIII, No. 87
Economic crisis may affect U. fundraising
Since 1866, Daily Since 1891
U. projecting a tight budget, Simmons says
TOWN HALL POLITICS
By Jenna Stark Senior Staff Writer
By Isabel Gottlieb News Editor
Though the Campaign for Academic Enrichment is still projected to reach its goal of $1.4 billion by 2010, the ongoing economic downturn may have a negative effect on the Brown Annual Fund and on donor participation, and a prolonged recession could further depress giving in the future, according to campaign leadership. Annual Fund revenues have grown by an average of 24 percent yearly since President Ruth Simmons took office, but the current economic slowdown may take its toll. “In a time like this … we’ll see slower growth,” said Ronald Vanden Dorpel MA’71, senior vice president for University advancement. How the credit crisis on Wall Street will affect University fundraising remains to be seen, but Vanden Dorpel estimated that about 20 percent of Brown alums work in the financial sector — banks, investment banks, financial services and hedge funds. That number, Vanden Dorpel said, is unusually high compared to Brown’s peer institutions. “Let’s say the entire (financial) sector is affected,” Vanden Dorpel said. “We could see some significant slowing of gifts … a slowing in the rate of growth,” though not a steep decline. Historically, giving to education has dropped by about 1.1 percent during recession years and .5 percent in years with an economic slowdown, compared with an average increase of 4.6 percent in non-recession years, according to data released by the Giving USA Foundation of Indiana University. The National Bureau of Economic Research defines a recession as two successive quarters with a decline in gross domestic product. The United States is not currently in a recession, but the economy is growing more slowly than it did last year and many economists are predicting one. The University’s campaign, publicized under the tag line “Boldly Brown,” will almost certainly surpass its goal after finishing fiscal year 2007 at $1.24 billion — 89 percent of the goal raised with a quarter of the campaign’s seven-year duration remaining. The campaign’s goal for the Annual Fund has still increased this year, albeit only slightly –– the fund netted slightly more than $35 million last year, and the University aims to raise $36 million this year. Last year, the goal increased by $4 million. University officials have long expected the campaign to surpass its goal and have proceeded with improvements under the Plan for Academic Enrichment, Simmons’ wide-ranging blueprint for raising continued on page 4
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HIGHER ED
Meara Sharma / Herald
“You’re not interested in politicians pointing fingers,” Barack Obama reminded a crowded List 120 last night. Students packed the auditorium to watch the live presidential debate at a screening co-sponsored by the Janus Forum, Brown Democrats, Brown Republicans and Brown Students for Barack Obama. The left-leaning audience clapped wildly after each Obama response and laughed throughout each of John McCain’s. While Obama received whoops of applause, McCain was booed. Critiquing McCain’s ambiguity, an overzealous viewer yelled, “Not an answer, John!”
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Students, faculty protest U. celebration of Columbus By Sydney Ember Contributing Writer
About 30 students and faculty gathered on Lincoln Field yesterday bearing signs reading “No Racist Holidays at Brown,” “Remember History Responsibly” and “Say No to Columbus Day at Brown” in a “speak-out” against the University’s recognition of Columbus Day this weekend, and to raise awareness in the community about the historical inaccuracies associated with the holiday. Many members of the Native American community feel that celebrating Columbus as the discoverer of America negates the existence of the indigenous people who were living in America before his arrival. The speak-out, called “Say No to Columbus Day at Brown!” was part of a larger movement within the Native American community at Brown to end the observance of the holiday, push for an Indigenous Week in October to honor Native American heritage and to continue the dialogue about Native American history. “We think the celebration is ver y one-sided,” said Reiko Koyama ’11, who spearheaded the effort. “We don’t want to cut off conversation. We just don’t want to honor Christopher Columbus.” The speakers, including students, faculty and members of the local Native American com-
Reconsidering Test DAy National Association for College Admission Counseling’s panel bubbles in “no” for the SATs
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President Ruth Simmons warned the faculty at its monthly meeting yesterday of the need to defer or slow University projects given the current economic crisis, but she emphasized the importance of continuing to fund need-blind financial aid. But not all the talk was on economic gloom and doom: Simmons’ announcement was followed by the news that the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded $3 million to the Graduate School to endow fellows in the humanities. But as the financial sector continues to struggle and with major hedge funds expected to go under, Simmons said, the economic crisis could last up to five years, and the University would live with the consequences of a faltering economy even beyond that. Consequently, University projects will need to be slowed so that additional funds can be allocated to financial aid, she said. “Brown’s principle purpose is academic and research issues. In this moment, it is important not to lose
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CAMPUS NEWS
munity, spoke at length about Native American history and the devastation Columbus caused to the indigenous community, including genocide and the spread of disease. They also spoke about the continued sense of invisibility and ignorance surrounding the current Native American community. Besides Harvard, Brown is the only Ivy League school to observe Columbus Day, though some schools celebrate a Fall Break. After Jerry Wolf Duff Sellers ’09, one of the coordinators of the event, made introductions in Lakota and Osage — pronounced Wah-zah-zhe — he turned the program over to the speakers. “For far too long, Native Americans have been treated as little more than a footnote,” said Dana Eldridge ’10, who began her address in Navajo. She added, “America is our countr y, too… and Brown is our community.” Wanda Jean Lord, who is of Cherokee and Choctaw descent and is the leader of Honoring Our Own Power, an organization dedicated to strengthening the initiatives of indigenous communities, also asked for more respect for Native Americans. “Invisibility not only harms Native people, it harms all people,” she said. “You cannot logically discover a land that belongs to someone
We the people... Esperanza International, Inc. writes environmental law for the Ecuadorian constitution
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OPINIONS
J u nkyard P oetry
Michela Fitten / Herald
Derrick Brown performed spoken-word poetry last night at the Junkyard Ghost Revival.
Let me in! Joshua Kaplan ’11 makes the case for universal swipe card access
195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island
12 SPORTS
“An impact player” Gordon Hood ’11 scores big for men’s water polo — from the defense line
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