Daily Herald the Brown
vol. cxliv, no. 60 | Wednesday, September 9, 2009 | Serving the community daily since 1891
Debate on ‘student tax’ takes center stage this fall By George Miller Metro Editor
With a sour economy squeezing the budgets of local governments and universities alike, Brown officials have spent the summer fighting to dissuade state lawmakers from passing legislation that would allow cashstrapped cities to recover funds from private colleges and large non-profit institutions. The first such measure, a “stu-
Kim Perley / Herald
First-years found themselves in some awkward situations during their first days at Brown.
Ice-breakers, ice cream socials for freshmen By Suzannah Weiss Senior Staff Writer
Amid anticipation and some nerves, 1,485 new students flooded Thayer Street and the Main Green for firstyear orientation this past weekend. Brown’s class of 2013 found their respective rooms, unpacked their bags and said hello to their new roommates before Residential Peer Leaders escorted them in large packs to their first unit meetings. First-years and their parents could attend workshops on topics including
University resources and financial aid during the day. The festivities for students continued into the evening and throughout the weekend with an alien-themed student dance, an ice cream social, arch-sings and the annual midnight organ concert in Sayles Hall. Many students’ first memories of orientation involved silly icebreakers with their units. Kimberly Wachtler ’13 said she had to take a handful of Skittles during her unit meeting and say something about herself for each candy.
Another unit engaged in a similar game, but with toilet paper instead of Skittles, Harry Samuels ’13 said. Students were instructed to select the number of squares they use in the bathroom and reveal something about themselves for each square they took, he said. A highlight of orientation for Hannah Moscowitz ’13 was President Ruth Simmons’ welcome speech on Sunday afternoon. Simmons addressed both parents and students continued on page 7
Anthro prof hired to be new VP for international affairs By Brigitta Greene Senior Staf f Writer
inside
Matthew Gutmann began his new post as vice president for international affairs Sept. 1, becoming the second person to occupy the position since its creation less than two years ago. Gutmann, a professor of anthropology and director of the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, succeeds David Kennedy ’76, who resigned abruptly in June, forcing University administrators to quickly fill the vacancy before the start of the academic year. Kennedy had also served as interim director of the Watson Institute for International Studies. Gutmann will work with President Ruth Simmons and Provost David Kertzer ’69 P’95 P’98 to further Brown’s role on the international stage. Brown identified internationalization as a major goal in 2006, and has since piloted programs across
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An ocean away, release of Pan-Am bomber triggers memories on College Hill grounds” to return to his homeland to die. The decision resurrected the painful tumult of two decades Last year, Abdel Basset Ali al-Me- past for the family and friends of grahi was diagnosed with terminal the terrorist attack’s 270 victims — cancer — a piece of personal infor- including the loved ones of Stuart mation that catapulted Barclay ’82, David Dornthe former Libyan stein ’85, Mar y Lincoln FEATURE intelligence of ficial Johnson ’85, Andrea to the center of an international Rosenthal ’88 and visiting student Julian Benello. controversy. In late August al-Megrahi, the Barbara Tannenbaum, senior leconly man convicted for the bombing turer in theatre, speech and dance of Pan Am Flight 103 on Decem- and Johnson’s mentor at Brown, ber 21, 1988, was released from a continued on page 5 Scottish prison on “compassionate By Sophia Li Features Editor
Mu ra l, m u ra l on the wa l l
all levels of University life — from financial aid to course offerings to research opportunities — to establish an international presence beyond College Hill. But to the average student, concrete effects of such an overarching agenda are often hard to pin down, Gutmann said. Changes will take time to develop, he said, adding that the University already has “tremendous assets.” “It’s daunting, but it’s very exciting,” he said. Gutmann was selected by a fourmember faculty search advisor y committee in August. Kertzer called him an “unusual combo,” referring to his background in both social and “hard” sciences. He has a bachelor’s degree in modern and classical Chinese from the University of California, Berkeley and graduate degrees from Berkeley in cultural anthropology and public health. continued on page 2
dent impact fee” first proposed by Providence mayor David Cicilline ’83, has rankled student leaders as well as administrators. It would allow Providence and other Ocean State municipalities to collect $300 per year for every out-of-state student attending a private college or university within the city limits. At Brown, the proposed student tax would apply to over 95 percent
Suspect linked to spring peeping incidents By Sydney Ember Senior Staf f Writer
Kim Perley / Herald
The brick wall of CVS along Cushing Street gets a new look.
A man arrested for trespassing on campus last Thursday is connected to similar incidents involving intrusions that occurred during the spring semester, according to the Providence Police Department. The suspect is thought to be the same man who photographed a female student showering in the first-floor Diman House bathroom in March and may be the unidentified suspect who later assaulted a female student in a Sears House shower in April. Justin Alvarez, a 20-year-old Woonsocket resident, was arrested after a Brown facilities manager repor ted suspicious activity in Goddard House. Alvarez was then detained in Andrews Hall by Department of Public Safety Officer continued on page 4
Arts, 5
Sports, 7
Opinions, 11
Organ-ic fun! O rg a n i s t S t e i n b a c h cakew alks through orientation
Two out of Three Men’s water polo gets two victories under their belt at MIT
time flies Anish Mitra ’10 takes a look back at Brown from a senior’s perspective
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