Daily Herald the Brown
vol. cxlv, no. 71 | Thursday, September 16, 2010 | Serving the community daily since 1891
McCormick lawyer failed to report U. connection By Ben Schreckinger Metro Editor
After William McCormick III was accused of rape by a fellow student, his first lawyer represented and advised him in the Brown disciplinary process at the same time his law firm was representing the University in another matter, court records show. Walter Stone did not inform McCormick of the ties between his firm — Providence-based Adler Pollock & Sheehan — and the University, while representing McCormick when he was accused of rape in 2006, according to J. Scott Kilpatrick, McCormick’s present attorney. Rhode Island’s rules of professional conduct for lawyers prohibit lawyers and law firms from representing two clients if the representation of one is “directly adverse” to the interests of the other. E-mails released during discov-
ery indicate that several University administrators, including lawyers in the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel, were aware of Stone’s representation of McCormick. “In terms of conflicts of interest, it would be incumbent upon the attorney to disclose any potential conflicts to his client,” said Marisa Quinn, vice president for public affairs and University relations. “Brown neither recommended nor participated in the engagement of Mr. Stone as counsel to Mr. McCormick.” McCormick, a former member of the class of 2010, brought suit last fall against the University following a 2006 accusation of rape made against him by a female member of the class of 2010 and his subsequent withdrawal from Brown. continued on page 4
After layoffs, staff shuffled to fill voids
h oly c o w !
By Alex Bell Senior Staff Writer
lots Tuesday to determine which candidates the two major parties would field in the November general election. Turnout, which was expected to be lighter than in previous years due to general voter malaise and the lack of a presidential contest and a competitive Democratic gubernatorial primary, was 18 percent statewide, the lowest since 1998, according to unofficial state Board of Elections data. But the
Last year’s 66 layoffs and 139 staff who opted for early retirement have left administrators looking closely at which positions to refill and what new positions to create as part of the organizational review process. The outcome of these measures represents an 8 percent reduction in Brown’s non-faculty workforce, according to a message on the University’s Brown and the Economy website. The Herald previously reported that 60 filled staff positions were eliminated at the end of last year stemming from the Organizational Review Committee’s February report, but this figure was “never set in stone,” according to Vice President for Human Resources Karen Davis. Though the ORC focused on 12 areas deemed most critical by officials, the areas “didn’t literally touch every part of the University,” Davis said. “There were some position eliminations that did not come directly from the University-wide organizational review, but emerged in that same period for the same reasons from units that were sort of left to do their own thing.” Davis said she was not sure which departments the additional layoffs were in, but gave the Admission and Financial Aid offices as examples of areas that might not have fallen under any of the 12 specific
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Evan Thomas / Herald
Dahlia made an appearance on Wriston Quadrangle to promote Rhody Fresh Milk at the Farmer’s Market.
Early start Victors gear up for general election gets mixed reactions By Claire Peracchio Senior Staff Writer
By Ana Alvarez Senior Staff Writer
Like every year, the first week of classes was filled with bustle and energy as new and returning students shopped through classes and moved into dorms. The only difference was that this year it all happened one week earlier — making life easier for some, but causing conflicts for others. In previous years, the first day of classes has fallen on the Wednesday after Labor Day. But this year the start day was moved to Sept. 1, the Wednesday before Labor Day, since the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah began the night of the following Wednesday, Sept. 8. Happy new year The change was made “in order to avoid hardships for both students and faculty that observe Jewish holidays and would subsequently not be able to participate on the first days of shopping period,” said Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron. Normally, Rosh Hashanah falls on the later weeks of September, therefore not conflicting with the beginning of the school year. But since the date of the holiday is set
inside
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News.....1–6 Metro........7 Sports.......8 Editorial....10 Opinion.....11 Today........12
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As primary tallies trickled in late Tuesday evening, it appeared the night belonged to two men connected by Providence’s top office — Mayor David Cicilline ’83 and his likely successor, former Housing Court Judge Angel Taveras. Cicilline — whose hard-fought four-way Democratic primar y garnered national attention — coasted to victory in the contest to replace retiring 1st Congressional
District Rep. Patrick Kennedy, also a Democrat. Taveras, a Cicilline appointee to the Providence Housing Court, soundly defeated his three opponents to become the overwhelming favorite against Independent
METRO Jonathan Scott in the mayoral general election. Voters across Rhode Island and in seven other states plus the District of Columbia cast bal-
Smokin’? For good or ill, some partake By Suzannah Weiss Arts & Culture Editor
Despite the associated risks and stigmas, cigarette, cigar and tobacco smoking have found their niche on Brown’s campus. Risky business Students make up the majority of buyers of cigarettes and other tobacco products at Thayer Street supermarket Tedeschi, according to cashiers Tim Hidalgo and Albert “Big Bertus” Saldana. Hidalgo and Saldana agreed that cigarette sales amount to about 100 packs per day, give or take 50. “Brown students definitely smoke a lot of cigarettes,” Hidalgo
said. He added that most of their revenue comes from tobacco products, which also include cigars, chewing tobacco and rolling tobacco. Roshan Baral, the owner of Thayer Street convenience store Metro Mart, said he sells about 80 packs of cigarettes and 30 cigars per day. About 75 percent of people buying these products are students, he said. Students who smoke commented that cigarettes are far more expensive in Rhode Island than in other states, and some roll their own cigarettes to save money. The Obama administration outlawed flavored cigarettes last year continued on page 2
M u st- S ee T v
Courtesy of ABC
A new ABC series, “Body of Proof,” filmed in Providence this summer. See metro, page 7.
News, 3
Sports, 8
Opinions, 11
BuD$ Alum aims to create per manent fund for student workers
no problem bears Even after star players graduated, the football team is still going strong
Ratty no more? Kshitij Lauria ’13 proposes major overhaul of dining services
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