Daily Herald the Brown
vol. cxliv, no. 99 | Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | Serving the community daily since 1891
Ethicist Singer challenges man-animal ‘speciesism’ By Sydney Ember Senior Staff Writer
The animal liberation movement is a “far-reaching revolution,” philosopher and animal rights advocate Peter Singer told a packed MacMillan 117 Tuesday night. In his lecture, “Ethics and Animals: Where we’ve come from, and where we need to go,” the world-renowned ethicist shared his controversial views about the ethical basis for giving animals the same moral considerations as humans and the justification for treating all beings as a “community of equals.” “We should give interests equal consideration, whatever those interests might be,” Singer said. “It’s hard to say that species membership should mark a morally crucial divide.” Because animals suffer like human beings and can feel pain, Singer said, humans cannot justify exploiting other species for food production and research. “This equal consideration
Accreditation report comes out today
of interests is one that we routinely violate,” he said. Singer, a professor at Princeton, came to Brown with support from the Brown Animal Rights Club and the Kaleidoscope Lecture Fund, a group promoting the expression of diversity of ideas and opinions at the University. Though his appearances have spurred protests in the past, Tuesday’s talk occurred without incident, save a quiet protest and pamphleting from members of the Lyndon LaRouche movement before the event. Singer began cultivating his provocative stance while studying at Oxford University as a graduate student. His exploration of bioethics was started after a lunch companion piqued his interest in the treatment of animals. When his colleague chose a salad over a meat-sauced pasta, Singer said he wondered why people avoided eating animal products. Un-
By nicole Friedman Senior Staf f Writer
satisfied with the information we got,” Wilson said. The stops, as outlined in the report, seem to be “even-handed,” she added. “There is a general sense that officers are emphasizing appropriate discretion, and there does not seem to be bias,” Wilson said. Indeed, the demographics of those stopped reflected in the data mirror the racial breakdown of the general student body. More men than women were stopped despite
The results of a major external audit of the University and its policies will be made public Wednesday morning, Provost David Kertzer ’69 P’95 P’98 announced at a monthly faculty meeting Tuesday. A team from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges visited this past spring to launch the widescale review, which the University spent more than a year preparing for. The reports have been known to a select group of top administrators and faculty for some time, and the University has begun to respond to some of the recommendations, Kertzer added. Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the body moved to amend rules concerning dismissal of faculty members and heard an update on the recent accomplishments of University research programs. The NEASC review, which is conducted ever y 10 years, evaluates schools on 11 different standards, including their academic programs, students, technological resources and integrity. Since teams of administrators from peer schools lead these evaluations, universities like Brown that are virtually assured of formal re-accreditation often use the process as an opportunity to examine their strengths and weaknesses. The report is “ver y positive,” Kertzer said at the meeting, where he presented some key points and excerpts. Since its last accreditation,
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Nick Sinnott-Armstrong / Herald
In a lecture on ethics and animal rights, world-renowned philosopher Peter Singer called for an “equal consideration of interests.”
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Field stops declined sharply, DPS data trove shows By Ellen Cushing Senior Staff Writer
Instances of Department of Public Safety officers stopping people on campus have declined by more than half since early 2008, according to detailed field-stop reports from DPS. The reports, which the department began releasing in 2007, also suggest that officers have not been conducting stops in a racially-biased manner, members of an oversight committee that reviews the data said.
DPS officers performed many fewer field stops through June 2009 than in the first half of 2008, the data show — 54 people were stopped in the first half of 2009, compared with 130 in 2008. Between July and December 2008, 95 people were stopped. The reports break the numbers of stops down by race, gender and university affiliation of the party stopped. Mark Porter, director of public safety, attributed the decrease to a general decline in crime on campus.
“We’ve managed to reduce crime, so it goes hand-in-hand that our stops would be down,” he said. “We’re all gratified that the number of stops has gone down,” said Associate Provost and Director of Institutional Diversity Valerie Wilson, who sits on the Public Safety Oversight Committee. Wilson said she and the rest of the committee were satisfied with the information these breakdowns yielded. “We looked at the data in great detail, and I think we were all very
Loui’s hits the small screen on Food Network By Jenna Stark News Editor
Jenna Stark / Herald
inside
After 63 years, Loui’s still has strong ties to Brown and the local community.
News......1-5 Sports....6-7 Editorial...10 Opinion....11 Today.......12
www.browndailyherald.com
Loui’s Diner has long been famous among Brown students as a good place to end the night, start the morning or a combination of the two — but now the diner’s pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes, muffins and barbecued chicken-and-cheese ravioli may be recognized across the nation. An unmistakable landmark on Brook Street for decades, Loui’s Diner was featured on the Food Network show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” in an episode that aired on Monday at 10 p.m. The show, which first premiered in 2007,
follows its host Guy Fieri as he crosses the countr y hunting for the best greasy spoon joints — ever ything from clam shacks to burger bars. Enthusiastic customers and the diner’s employees squeezed into the crowded restaurant Mon-
FEATURE day night to watch its five minutes of fame on television and eat delicious food. The screening at Loui’s received lots of laughs and cheers throughout the show and thunderous applause at the end. Fieri described Loui’s as a
“family-owned restaurant” that “still ser ves great food at reasonable prices.” But Loui’s regulars know the diner as much more than a good place to grab a meal. “They’re sort of like family to me,” said Frances Carpenter ’84, a Providence resident. “It has a sense of warmth with the people that hasn’t changed.” Loui’s, a landmark For many Brown students, it is difficult to imagine Brook Street without Loui’s. The diner first opened 63 years ago under the continued on page 2
News, 3
Sports, 7
Opinions, 11
sexy ed Trojan Condoms’ report card gives Brown high marks for sexual health
Volleyball woes The weekend was rough for Bruno, with losses to Penn and Princeton
first aid Simon Liebling ’12 says the U.’s promise to meet financial need is empty
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