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THE BROWN

vol. cxlviii, no. 122

U. to undertake more direct investments Limiting the role of intermediaries will allow U. finance offices more flexibility with funds By KATE KIERNAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The University plans to increase the portion of its endowment that it invests directly, limiting its reliance on intermediary financial managers in an effort to enhance the University’s flexibility with its assets and grow its cash holdings, wrote Chief Investment Officer Joseph Dowling in an email to The Herald. The University will still employ financial managers to help invest money from the endowment. But under Dowling’s supervision, the Office of Investment will look to independently manage more of the endowment, giving the University greater control over its funds. The Office of Investment and the Investment Committee manage the endowment under the supervision of Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Beppie Huidekoper, Dowling wrote. The Office of Investment currently plans to use 5 percent of the endowment for direct investments, but that number could grow “based on the investment opportunity set, performance of direct investments and resources of the investment office,” Dowling wrote. The changes came when Dowling was appointed last May, bringing with him experience in seeking out new investment opportunities, Huidekoper said. Dowling formerly worked at Narragansett Asset

since 1891

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

Management, an investment firm he founded in 1998. The University has been “very satisfied” with the third party financial managers it has used for investing the endowment, Huidekoper said, and it will continue to use those financial intermediaries in conjunction with direct investments managed by the Office of Investment. The endowment contributes about 16 percent of the University’s income and is its third largest source of revenue, Huidekoper said. Undergraduate tuition is the University’s largest income source, Huidekoper said. The endowment is a revenue source and investment tool to help universities to pay for operating costs instead of increasing student fees, according to a Sept. 27 Bloomberg News article. The University currently has about 1 percent of its endowment in cash assets, according to a statement from the Office of Investment. Available cash serves as an immediate source of funds for “times of stress” when the stock market plummets, Dowling wrote. It also gives the University more flexibility to acquire assets if new investment opportunities become available, he wrote. Total equity, including public stock, private equity and real assets like real estate holdings, make up 89 percent of the University’s assets. Since these assets are tied up in investments, they are less accessible than cash holdings. The remaining 10 percent of the endowment is invested in fixed income assets, which provide a more stable income stream, according to the Office of Investment. » See INVESTMENT, page 4

F R O M G AT E TO CO M M O N S

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

Andrews Dining Commons, imagined above in a University rendering, will feature a study space for 125 students and a food service area. It is slated to open for the first week of classes in January. See andrews, page 2.

RISD president resigns

Though his contract lasts to 2015, John Maeda will leave in January to work at a venture capital firm

The Herald previously reported. Maeda announced his decision via a video compilation of clips of students and faculty members, during which he reflected on RISD’s evolution over his six years as president. In the video, Maeda said technology use helped RISD become a preeminent design school, crediting the “artists, designers and scholars of RISD” as the force for change at the school. Maeda came to RISD in the fall of 2008, following the resignation of then-President Roger Mandle. Maeda previously served as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and associate director of research at the MIT Media Lab. Esquire Magazine included Maeda among its “75 most influential people of the 21st century,” according to the » See RISD, page 4

By KATE KIERNAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

John Maeda, the 16th president of the Rhode Island School of Design, will resign at the end of the semester, according to a RISD press release. Maeda will leave RISD to become a design partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byer, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, in January. He will also chair the recently formed eBay Design Advisory Board, according to the release. Maeda’s contract was renewed March 2012 to last through June 2015,

Poll: Students split on role of testing Females, whites and humanities/arts concentrators were less likely than other students to say they support standardized test scores playing a major role in graduation requirements. Question: “How much of a role should standardized test scores play in public high school graduation requirements?” NO OPINION SIGNIFICANT

MODERATE

SMALL

NONE

All students 5 Male 8

42 41

White 4

Arts/humanities 4 Other fields 5

44 44

8 1 15

10 2

GREG JORDAN-DETAMORE/ HERALD

inside

By KATHERINE LAMB SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Female 2

Non-white 7

Many said they believe standardized testing gives certain groups of students unequal treatment

About four-fifths of undergraduates support standardized test scores playing either a small or moderate role in public high school graduation requirements, according to a Herald poll conducted Sept. 30 – Oct. 1. About 12 percent of respondents said standardized test scores should play no role in public high school graduation requirements. The responses come on the heels of significant state debate surrounding

CITY & STATE

a recently implemented state-wide requirement that students score at least “partially proficient” on the New England Common Assessment Program test or demonstrate substantial improvement between test cycles to receive a high school diploma. Of the 80 percent of respondents who supported a small or moderate role in public high school graduation requirements, about half were in favor of a moderate role and half were in favor of a small role. Natalie Tarr ’14, who volunteers for Algebra in Motion, an after school tutoring program at Hope High School, said she strongly opposes high-stakes standardized testing. At Hope High School, only 19 percent of students passed the math portion of the NECAP, and approximately 80 » See TESTING, page 4

Post-

No secrets

Baby brains

bds, Brussels sprouts, and banalization. buh-bye!

A pair of panels investigated NSA programs, delving into privacy and security

A lecture examined the link between action and problem-solving in infants

INSIDE

UNIVERSITY NEWS, 3

SCIENCE & RESEARCH, 8

weather

Mixed opinions on the role of standardized tests

Teach-in recounts history of activism Students said past protests have informed current experiences both inside and outside the classroom By JOSEPH ZAPPA STAFF WRITER

Activism boils down to the “creation of tension,” said Kenneth McDaniel ’69 P’13, a participant in the 1968 protests over Brown’s diversity, during a Wednesday teach-in on student activism throughout the last 50 years. The teach-in, attended by about 75 people in Barus and Holley 168, was organized by a group of students in light of student activism this semester, said event coordinator Anselmo Fuentes ’16, who introduced the panelists. Robert Lee ’80 P’15, chair of the Department of American Studies, said discussions of activism should focus on current challenges amid progress made by past collective actions. “We need to think of these gains that we have made as ongoing sites of struggle,” he said. “They need defending. They need expanding.” Understanding the history behind activism provides a “blueprint on how to act now,” said Paul Tran ’14, who is conducting research on student activism as part of a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship in history, Africana studies and ethnic studies. The fact that undergraduates have » See ACTIVISM, page 5 t o d ay

tomorrow

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2 university news calendar THURSDAY

DECEMBER 5

8 P.M.

FRIDAY

DECEMBER 6

6:40 P.M. SPEC Presents: Candyland

Brown Motion Pictures Premiere

Sayles Hall 8 P.M.

Salomon 101 9:30 P.M.

Brown Unheard Open Mic

Brown Stand Up Comics Show

The Underground

Salomon 001

menu SHARPE REFECTORY

VERNEY-WOOLLEY

LUNCH Spinach Pie Calzone, Falafel, Hot Roast Beef on French Bread, Broccoli with Mushrooms and Red Onion

BBQ Beef on a Bun, Pumpkin Ravioli, Curly Fries, Peanut Butter Sandwich Bar, Vegan Garden Chili

DINNER Broccoli Noodle Polonaise, Baked Potato Bar, Slow Roast Pork Loin with Herbs, Red Potato with Dill

Swiss Steak, Stuffed Spinach Squash, Mashed Red Bliss Potatoes with Garlic, Green Beans with Tomatoes

sudoku

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

Andrews Commons to offer food, social space Set to open in January, the eatery will feature Asian fusion cuisine and a large common room By ALIZA REISNER STAFF WRITER

Andrews Dining Commons, a new eatery, campus center and study lounge, is on schedule to open in Andrews Hall in January, Senior Associate Dean of Residential Life and Dining Services Richard Bova told The Herald. The new eatery will be a relocated and expanded version of the Gate, the only current on-campus dining option on Pembroke campus besides the Verney-Wooley Dining Hall. Bova said Andrews Dining Commons will function as a place for students to eat, socialize and study. The future use of the Gate’s current space is still undetermined, Bova said. There will be two main food stations in the eatery. The first will include some of the Gate’s current selections, Bova said, serving various types of pizzas, paninis and pastas. It will have the same pizza ovens currently used at the Gate. The second food station will offer an Asian fusion menu, with all the offerings containing fresh vegetables and ingredients,

Bova said. The front of the new space will feature a common area with seating for about 125 students, Bova said. There will be other seating for studying and socializing, including tables and more comfortable chairs and lounge areas. Five glass-walled rooms around the edge of the room will offer a space for groups to eat and work together with some privacy, Bova said. The space will include a seminar room for 25 people off a side hallway. The University will begin scheduling first-year and upper-class seminars in that space, Bova said. There will also be a printing station in the new space, according to the Facilities website. Andrews Dining Commons will have a contemporary aesthetic, with an open kitchen and a glass-enclosed staircase that will lead to a 24-hour study lounge on the first floor of Andrews Hall overlooking the patio, Bova said. This level will also have a large fireplace, according to the Facilities website. Bova said the project is running “right on schedule” and that, aside from a few touch-ups, the space will be complete by Dec. 20. He said he expects Andrews Dining Commons to be open and fully functional during the first week of classes in January. The space will be open from 11

RELOCATION: The Gate will be replaced in January by Andrews Dining Commons, which will feature a 24-hour study center. FUTURE LOCATION

Andrews Hall

CURRENT LOCATION

Alumnae Hall

ASHLEY SO / HERALD

a.m. to 2 a.m. every day, Bova said. The V-Dub will continue operating only on weekdays, but Andrews Dining Commons will be open over the weekend. Some students living on and near Pembroke campus said they are excited about the new dining space. Many said they felt that a comparable venue near Pembroke has been lacking, adding that they welcome the new common area. Scott Freitag ’14, who lives offcampus near Pembroke, said he is excited about the more healthful options that will be offered in the new location. Freitag, a Herald opinions columnist, added that he especially hopes the eatery offers more highprotein foods than are currently available at the Gate.

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www.browndailyherald.com

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

In panels, experts examine federal surveillance programs The Joukowsky Forum hosted intelligence experts and prominent reporters to discuss NSA programs By WING SZE HO AND CAROLINE KELLY STAFF WRITERS

The real-world impact and transparency of federal surveillance programs took center stage at a pair of panels presented Wednesday to a full Joukowsky Forum auditorium. The conference, titled “Big Transparency for the NSA: Perspectives on Spying and Privacy,” was hosted by the Watson Institute for International Studies and was moderated by Timothy Edgar, former director of privacy and civil liberties for the White House’s national security staff and visiting scholar at the Watson Institute. The first session, titled “Privacy and Transparency, Inside and Out,” featured four panelists who presented their perspectives on the transparency of federal surveillance programs. Jameel Jaffer, deputy legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, questioned the National Security Agency’s “scope of collection” of Americans’ and foreigners’ personal data and the NSA’s “scope of authority.” Alexander Joel, civil liberties protection officer at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said the federal government is working to increase the transparency of data collection but added that intelligence agencies are “designed and built” to operate in secrecy, which naturally limits their transparency. The “most troubling” issue about data collection is not that the federal government is “withholding” information but that officials are “misleading us” about the nature of data collection, Jaffer said. Intelligence agencies’ high level of secrecy means details of surveillance programs are not divulged, he added. “These programs do not target anyone. They target everyone,” Jaffer said, responding to an audience member’s question about whether visiting intelligence agency websites increases a web user’s “vulnerability” to surveillance. Jaffer cited the former communist state of East Germany as an example of

how “pervasive surveillance shut down activities” in daily life. Steven Aftergood, senior research analyst at the Federation of American Scientists and publisher of the intelligence blog Secrecy News, said federal agencies have “conducted unprecedented declassification” of older documents in the past five years. But Aftergood said intelligence agencies have declassified older documents to build credibility with the public, adding that this declassification process has not applied to newer documents. John DeLong, the NSA’s director of compliance, said surveillance transparency is crucial in an “open democracy.” DeLong focused his discussion on the Patriot Act’s Section 215, which authorizes the federal government to collect data on telephone communication between Americans and foreign terrorist organizations, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s Amendments Act Section 702, which allows officials to access the content of phone calls of foreigners not in the United States. Section 215 aims “to see whether a terrorist organization is on telephone communication with somebody inside the (United States),” Joel said, adding that the program is “narrow” and “limited,” with fewer than 300 uses of the database last year. Jaffer challenged Joel’s claim, saying there is “no regulation” on the use of the database. DeLong said the program’s purpose is to ensure the NSA can provide the Federal Bureau of Investigation with accurate phone numbers for suspected terrorists. The second panel, titled “Transparency — What Good Is It?,” consisted of Charles Savage, a Washington correspondent for the New York Times, Siobhan Gorman, a terrorism and intelligence reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and Ellen Nakashima, a national security reporter for the Washington Post. The panelists described their experiences working on intelligence stories, including the intelligence files leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Savage described how his first attempts to pursue the Snowden story failed, but the federal government’s denial of his initial request to access classified

data led him to further investigate the story. The story of intelligence agencies’ widespread use of personal data raises interesting questions, Savage said. The Snowden story has prompted discussions of whether concerns about the Patriot Act stem from the fact that the federal government has collected so much personal data or from the sole existence of such metadata, he added. “There’s a great debate that has been launched about life in the 21st century and going forward, when we’re all leaving these metadata trails … that I was unable, and failed, to get my hands around until Edward Snowden came along,” Savage said. Gorman said reporters pursuing news about intelligence issues face a challenge from the inherent secrecy of potential sources. “Usually we’re at a disadvantage, so to speak, in that we can’t actually read the material,” Gorman said. The release of surveillance information in the Snowden case was important because “the documents then forced the government to actually try to start explaining some of these things,” Gorman said. “It’s really sort of shaken the trees in a way that I don’t think we would have seen otherwise.” Nakashima highlighted the need for balance between government secrecy and a well-informed public. “There’s a predilection from the government’s side to keep these programs a secret, because in their view, if you discuss them publicly, you might tip off targets,” Nakashima said. But she added

ALEXANDRA URBAN / HERALD

In the first panel, experts discussed their experiences with federal surveillance programs and the National Security Agency. that agencies’ hesitation to release information is a “tactical concern,” voicing her support for securing “public consensus” for “sweeping collection programs.” Some audience members said they enjoyed the second panel’s focus on realworld impacts of surveillance programs, but some who attended the first panel expressed mixed feelings. “The issues were all spoken to and addressed in a very high and sophisticated manner,” said Merle Krueger, a resident of Lincoln, R.I., who attended the second panel. “It’s an exercise to me in public education, that particularly with this issue more than any other that I can

think of, is critically necessary.” Samuel Brebner ’16 said he saw the forum as “putting a face” to “technical and international” dimensions of surveillance policies that he studied in CSCI 0180: “Cybersecurity and International Relations.” The first panel’s presenters “didn’t go into the heart of the matter,” said David Katzevich ’16, describing the session as “underwhelming.” Presenters on the first panel did not discuss the issue with enough nuance, said Jahmour Givans ’16, adding that panelists stuck to “slogans” in their speeches.

4 university news » TESTING, from page 1 percent of the school’s senior class retook the test in October for a second chance at graduating on time, The Herald previously reported. “I would remind people of the original intent of the testing, which is to raise the quality of education,” Tarr said, pointing to teacher training programs and workshops as examples of other ways to accomplish this goal. Standardized testing caters to more privileged students and marginalizes others, Tarr said. “The tests are created for a white, middle or upper class audience,” she said. “For others, it’s just inherently not fair.” “Think of how demoralizing it would be to make it all the way to the end of high school and then to not meet the standardized test requirement,” said Evan Lunt ’16. “It’s not conducive to community,” said Raven Carson ’16, because students who do not test as well as their peers feel “ostracized.” The most common answer among white respondents was “a small role” — accounting for 42 percent of respondents — while the most common answer among non-white respondents was “a moderate role,” which accounted for 46 percent of answers. Answers varied across academic

» RISD, from page 1 press release. Under Maeda, RISD was ranked the top design school in the world by Business Insider, according to the release. Applications to RISD increased during Maeda’s presidency, growing nearly 4 percent between 2012 and 2013 alone. Maeda also prioritized scholarships for students — which his family helped fund with a six-figure gift — and increasing financial aid, according to the press release.

concentrations — a higher percentage of arts and humanities concentrators said scores should play a small role or no role in graduation requirements than students concentrating in other fields did. Ben Williams ’16, a neuroscience concentrator, said standardized testing may be appropriate for math and grammar, but schools place too much emphasis on testing in other subjects, even in the sciences. “There need to be other ways to evaluate performance,” he added. Many said evaluating performance differently is particularly important for students with learning differences. “Standardized testing measures a certain kind of brain,” said Carly Margolis ’16. “There are all kinds of intelligence.” Williams, who tutors through the Brown Refugee Youth Tutoring and Enrichment program, said preparing his tutee — a senior at Hope High School who came to the United States from Nepal two years ago— for the NECAP has been “somewhat difficult and hectic.” “His English is not at the optimal level, so preparing him for these tests is not the best use of my time or his time, since I’d rather be teaching him in other ways,” Williams said. “The sense I got from him was this wasn’t just challenging for kids from outside the country that are learning English as a second language. It’s a challenge for the kids who have grown

up here too,” he added. But many said eliminating standardized testing would be impractical. “You have to standardize something,” Carson said. But the NECAP was not designed as an evaluative tool and would be more appropriately used for data collection, he added. “It’s certainly easier administratively if you’re just handing out the same thing to everyone and expecting a certain level of performance. That’s why it’s such an attractive policy,” Williams said. Though testing may always be a factor in measuring success, in the United States, extracurricular involvement and grade point average are more comprehensive measures, said Alex He ’17. “It’s unfair to measure everyone with the same test if they have different goals,” he said. Andy Chan ’14.5 said the policy will “make a difference on the margin,” as the test will likely catch the students who would graduate high school but not necessarily go on to college, he said. Administrators might be able to positively spin standardized test scores by ending their punitive uses and allowing students who might otherwise be in danger of not graduating to demonstrate what they do know through the test, Chan added. See online for The Herald’s polling methodology.

His presidency was not without controversy. RISD faculty voted no confidence in both the president and former provost Jessie Shefrin in the spring of 2011, following resistance to Maeda’s proposal to restructure academic departments. The plan was eventually not implemented. Though there was no indication at the time that Maeda would resign, his predecessor’s tenure was marked by a similar sequence of events: Mandle resigned two years after receiving a no confidence vote from the faculty in 2006. Mandle said

the vote did not influence his decision to leave, The Herald reported at the time. The news of Maeda’s departure surprised many, said RISD student Kevin Cochran, because the announcement came so close to the end of the semester. But the no confidence vote and Maeda’s history of tension with the faculty led many students to anticipate Maeda would eventually resign, Cochran added. RISD has not yet announced plans for Maeda’s replacement. Representatives from RISD could not be reached for comment at press time.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

THIS WEEK IN HIGHER ED

BY ELI OKUN, UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

Satirical candidate set to lead Harvard student council A Harvard junior who was elected vice president of the school’s Undergraduate Council after his joke ticket won a plurality of votes announced Monday that he would assume the council presidency instead of resigning as planned, the Harvard Crimson reported. Gus Mayopoulos and his running mate, junior Sam Clark, who was elected president, ran on a satirical platform and defeated two tickets made up of council members in the election last month. Both said they would resign immediately after their inauguration, but Mayopoulos reversed course Monday. Clark still plans to vacate his seat, making Mayopoulos president under the council’s succession rules, the Crimson reported. The pair’s platforms included having tomato basil ravioli soup in dining halls every day and getting thicker toilet paper, as well as divesting from gender-neutral weekend shuttles — a combination of three hot-button issues at Harvard. They garnered 43 percent of the vote. Mayopoulos told the Crimson that he and Clark initially ran to foster a conversation about the Undergraduate Council, but he now believes serving on the council would allow him to make the body more accountable to student wishes. “I am hoping to dispel people’s fears that, ‘Oh, this is just going to be more of a joke,’” Mayopoulos told the Crimson. “It may be funny, but it won’t be a joke.”

Former UNC dept. chair indicted for not teaching classes A former department chair at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was indicted by a grand jury Monday for accepting pay for a class he only pretended to teach, part of a long-running scandal unveiled in recent years at the university, the Raleigh, N.C.-based News and Observer reported. Julius Nyang’oro, who chaired the African studies program for 19 years, was paid $12,000 for supposedly teaching AFAM 280: “Blacks in North Carolina,” a summer course in 2011. But the class, which comprised current and former football players, did not meet. The indictment is the latest development in a scandal that took place over several years, considered one of the largest public university academic fraud schemes ever. A university investigation commenced in 2011 found that more than 50 African studies courses had likely never met over the previous five years. When former Gov. Jim Martin began a follow-up investigation, he uncovered over 200 classes that had definitely or probably not met, dating back to the mid-1990s, as well as hundreds of unauthorized grade changes, the News and Observer reported. The scandal has also raised questions at the university and nationally about the relationship between athletics and academics. Athletes accounted for 45 percent of enrollments in the identified no-show classes, compared to under 5 percent of the overall student body. The football team was by the far the most represented in the fraudulent classes.

» INVESTMENT, from page 1 The use of both internal and third party financial managers “varies across institutions,” wrote Ronald Ehrenberg, director of the Cornell Higher Education Research Institute in an email to The Herald, adding that most universities have a separate committee that determines how to allocate assets among different kinds of investments. Since the 2008 financial crisis, universities have been “much more focused on maintaining liquidity,” Ehrenberg wrote. Universities that invested substantial proportions of their endowments in illiquid assets suffered when the stock market crashed, according to an Oct. 20 Wall Street Journal article. The impact of the economic downturn still affects the University as it works to regain its prime 2008 financial position, Huidekoper said. Though the University’s $2.7 billion endowment is now close to its peak 2008 value, other externalities will affect future financial investments. The University does not have “the capacity to borrow much more,”

and some capital projects may be delayed, Huidekoper said. The expected decrease in federal funding will also likely lead to “across the board” cuts to research, Huidekoper said. Research funding cuts could be exacerbated by the continuation of the government sequester, which will take effect in January unless the U.S. Congress reaches a budget compromise. Many major research institutions are already experiencing cuts to direct research sponsorship, which could harm universities’ credit ratings, according to a Nov. 15 report released by Moody’s Investor Service. Changes to the University’s investment strategies will work in conjunction with fundraising — particularly the upcoming 250th anniversary celebration and the launch of President Christina Paxson’s strategic plan this past September. Balancing limited revenue with growth and the rising cost of programs like financial aid poses a continual challenge for the University, Huidekoper said. —With additional reporting by Molly Schulson

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

Campaign aims to support local commerce ‘Brown Shops Local’ at the Brown Bookstore today will offer deals to Providence stores By JASON NADBOY STAFF WRITER

The University aims to encourage students to shop locally this holiday season by providing gifts and offers during the “Brown Shops Local” event today from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Students, faculty members and staff who stop by the “Brown Shops Local” table at the Brown Bookstore will receive a free “Brown tote bag, beverage ticket for the College Hill Cafe, offers from the Bookstore and offers to several Providence retail hubs,” according to the University’s website. The “Brown Shops Local” campaign, now in its second year, encourages students and faculty members to shop at community stores they may otherwise not know about, said Jennifer Braga, government relations and community affairs liaison. The University organized shuttles for last year’s event to bring students, faculty members and staff from campus to city shopping areas, including Wayland Square, Hope Street and South Main Street. The Brown community “spends millions of dollars each year” in

Providence, Braga said. It’s good to “keep money in Providence.” The group is “having people do it their own way” this year, only organizing deals for the Brown community and leaving individuals to explore the city’s stores on their own, Braga said. The event is part of the wider “Buy Providence” campaign, which began in 2005 under Mayor Angel Taveras. “The intention is to encourage shoppers to think about buying closer,” said Ann Gooding, director of communications of the city’s Planning and Development department. It is important to help small businesses who hire locally, she said. “Investment is critical.” “We definitely like working with Brown,” said Natalie Martello, owner of the store Shoppe Pioneer in the South Main Street district. Students should see “how great South Main Street is,” Martello said, adding that Brown students tend to shop on Thayer. Other retail hubs participating in “Brown Shops Local” — Hope Street, Downcity and Wayland Square shopping areas — will be hosting entertainment events such as a petting zoo and fire jugglers in addition to their shopping deals. Providence has “growing and straightening merchant associations,” said Gooding, adding that businesses know collaboration will result in greater attention to their individual shops.

city & state 5 » ACTIVISM, from page 1 only four years at Brown amplifies the need to see causes for change as ongoing campaigns, panelists said. Students cannot “romanticize” their causes, Tran said, adding that activists must recognize that Brown “change(s) slowly over time and accept that we are here for four years.” Multiple panelists said past activism can provide context for the gravity of current moments. The University “saw for the first time in a long time real, deep student anger” this semester, Lee said. “I am so incredibly grateful for the Ray Kelly protest,” said Gina RodriguezDrix ’09, co-founder of the student group Coalition for Police Accountability and Institutional Transparency. McDaniel said he has been involved in many protest movements, which have been “two standard deviations out from the norm ... but always with a strong sense of where the center really lies.” McDaniel highlighted his experience participating in the 1968 student walkout intended to focus administrators’ attention on the need for greater racial diversity on Brown’s campus at the time. The class of 1969 had eight black males and virtually no Hispanic students, McDaniel said, pointing to

greater diversity in today’s student body as a positive result of activism. Other panelists drew connections between past activist movements and the current realities of the Brown experience. “My degree would not exist if it were not for student activism,” RodriguezDrix said, referring to her concentration in Africana studies. Though student activists have made progress over the years, ongoing campaigns still face many obstacles, including dissent within the Brown community, panelists said. While some administrators support student activists, “the administration and the Corporation are not really your friends,” Rodriguez-Drix said. “There are different voices within the Corporation,” Lee said. But as a whole, the body is a “reminder of what universities are all about and who they serve,” he said, adding that the Corporation serves a “specific class.” When students are unable to communicate directly with administrators, they must remember that “these are people with whom we are dealing” and there are other ways to reach administrators other than direct dialogue, Tran said. Authorities who are the focus of activists’ efforts usually “are doing the

best they can with what they have at that time,” McDaniel said, but effective protest movements may have to “put organizations or individuals into potentially embarrassing situations” to achieve success. “Making movements fun is what brings people in,” said Ian Trupin ’13.5, a former Herald opinions columnist and a student activist who addressed how to make change happen at the grassroots level. Activists should also acknowledge that not all students will agree with a cause, Tran said. Rodriguez-Drix said her activism efforts were most successful when she learned to build a bridge between different groups of students. Disagreement can sometimes arise over activists’ personal backgrounds and how different experiences inform their opinions, Rodriguez-Drix said. “It’s very difficult when your position is called invalid because of how you look,” she said, citing one difficulty she faced while organizing student activist groups at Brown. Student activism also yields benefits for movement participants as they learn about themselves throughout a campaign, Rodriguez-Drix said. “The process is the point.”

comics Cat Ears | Najatee’ McNeil

A Horse of Any Other Name |Zach Silberberg

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

EDITORIAL

Preventing unnecessary loss Brown will undergo an external review of undergraduate alcohol consumption next semester, The Herald reported Wednesday. The move comes in the wake of a survey in which 45 percent of undergraduates surveyed admitted to binge drinking — an act defined as consuming four drinks for women and five drinks for men within about two hours. The figure, as Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services Margaret Klawunn noted, is distinctly higher than the national average binge drinking rate for college campuses: 36.5 percent of undergraduates. These results merit attention, and we hope that University efforts taken will continue to prioritize student health over unnecessary penalization — working foremost to promote safety. Data about student binge drinking places Brown “in the middle of the pack” compared to five peer institutions, Director of Health Education Frances Mantak told The Herald last year. At that time, Klawunn told The Herald that University efforts aimed at preventing binge drinking were centered around a “harm reduction approach to target behaviors that are the most high-risk, like somebody being so intoxicated that they could die.” Such an approach is valuable and should be continued. For example, the University does not penalize students for calling Emergency Medical Services for peers in need, promoting an environment that prioritizes student safety rather than purely punitive action. We would strongly urge any reform to continue this potentially life-saving policy. Several University policies have also worked to minimize student harm during high-risk events such as Spring Weekend, another policy we support. Throughout the weekend, Residential Peer Leaders patrol dorms, helping students who may have become incapacitated. Such a service can prevent needless losses such as those that have been highly publicized at other schools. The value of these policies becomes clearer upon examining the harms unchecked undergraduate alcohol consumption has resulted in. Recent stories about the drinking culture at Dartmouth fraternities and about alcoholrelated deaths at Cornell highlight a reckless relationship with alcohol that has placed students in very real danger. Policies that reduce the possibility of student harm are essential. We cannot prevent every student from binge drinking to the point of severe endangerment, but we can take steps to minimize such occurrences and to safely deal with them when they do occur. For first-years, such efforts include strong RPL training and supervision on the weekends, when most episodes of binge drinking are likely to occur. They include education that is focused on how to drink responsibly and the associated dangers that come with alcohol consumption. Most of all, they involve fostering an ethic of community responsibility — encouraging students to make the phone call that could save a friend’s, a roommate’s or a stranger’s life. On an administrative and on an individual level, we should do all we can to ensure that no Brown students suffer long-term harm from such a preventable cause. Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editor, Rachel Occhiogrosso, and its members, Daniel Jeon, Hannah Loewentheil and Thomas Nath. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.

K I M B E R LY S A LT Z

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Access to course carts an advising overstep To the Editor: I am disturbed by the proposed initiative by the Dean of the College to allow Meiklejohn peer advisers access to their advisees’ course carts (“Meiks may gain access to first-years’ Banner carts,” Dec. 3). To begin with, exactly which of the myriad problems with first-year advising is this proposal attempting to solve? Is there evidence to suggest that the quality of Meiklejohn advising is impeded by the fact that advisers do not currently have access to their advisees’ Banner carts? Is there any relevant information to be found in a course cart that isn’t already in the advisee course preferences Meiklejohns receive? The main objective of the Meiklejohn peer advising program, as I understand it, is to equip first-years with the

tools and support necessary to successfully navigate the Open Curriculum on their own terms. It is most definitely not one of its functions to micromanage course selection. It is neither the job, nor frankly the place, of Meiklejohns to critically scan through each item in a first-year’s course cart and dispense advice based on what is or isn’t there. Of course, if a first-year desires more specific help pertaining to courses, he or she is free to proffer such information during advising meetings. However, to grant advisers access to their advisees’ Banner carts, regardless of whether it ends up being opt-in or opt-out, sends the wrong message about the nature and role of the Meiklejohn advising relationship, not to mention the potential privacy issues involved. Jonathan Kang ’12

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“I definitely enjoyed watching the videos of the babies.” — Emily Thurston ’16 See babies, page 8.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

A dream denied

disparities which usually correlate to one’s racial and socioeconomic background. Students who are victims of educational inequality are generopinions columnist ally from low-income backgrounds and have often already been exposed A few days ago, I watched the widely to inadequate health care, nutrition circulated video, “UCLA Has More and housing. How can one succeed in Championships than Black Male this state? A 2011 article entitled “If I Freshmen.” I was proud to see a group Were A Poor Black Kid,” argues that of black men acting to expose and all that it takes is intelligence, a strong counter an imporwork ethic, “a little tant issue: the lack of “It takes a village luck,” some outside minority represenhelp and “the ability to raise a child, tation in the postand the know-how secondary educato use the resources especially when tion system. Pride that are available” to the child is of a was then followed lift oneself up from disadvantaged by disappointment, poverty and a failing because the issue at educational system background.” hand would not exinto a comfortable ist in a just world. The lack of minor- lifestyle. ity representation, particularly of miThis argument, penned by a selfnority males, is not limited to any one described middle-class and middlepost-secondary institution. aged white man, is extremely flawed. Why are there still issues with di- Those who have successfully made versity at post-secondary institutions? their way out of nothing were definiteDefinitely, discriminatory admission ly aided by resourcefulness, by help practices or lack of university out- and by talent. A poor youth will not reach into areas with large concentra- magically transform into a successful tions of minority students could be college student without work on his factors. Maybe a school also has sub- part and on the parts of many others. par financial aid, high application fees It takes a village to raise a child, espeand requirements of several relative- cially when the child is of a disadvanly expensive standardized tests. Very taged background. few of the nation’s students who make Public schools in low-income areas it successfully to the “submit” button should receive more funding, more on their college applications are of mi- experienced and passionate teachnority or low-income backgrounds. ers and administrators, more up-toWithin Brown’s class of 2017 is the date facilities and resources and more largest group of students of color ever opportunities to provide advanced admitted to the University in any one placement courses. The government application cycle. But of this group, has the ability to increase funding, many are from wealthy foreign or im- and Brown University has the abilmigrated families and over-represent- ity to establish university-commued minority groups. Native minorities nity partnership schools, much like from low-income areas are under- Penn does. I would like to challenge represented and are the individuals the University to make a more active for whom the University should most drive into low-income, minority areas seek to improve recruitment efforts. than it currently does. Many students The number of metaphorical hur- have their potentials limited because dles a student must overcome to get they are unaware of the opportunities into and through college increases if available to them, something I have the student is poor or of color, and personally witnessed both as a public especially if the student is both — a high school student and as a college common combination. Black, His- access mentor for West Philadelphia panic and American Indian children, public high school students. according to a Teach for America reIt is my sincere hope that the equal port, are “three times as likely to live and adequate education of all students in a low-income area.” Students from will be a goal taken seriously by the disadvantaged or minority back- U.S. government and colleges across grounds have a much higher risk of the nation. When this dream becomes falling victim to the prison system, a reality, no school will have an excuse street violence, becoming dropouts, to provide sub-par education or limhaving children at a young age and, ited opportunities to the minds it is simply, the loss of motivation that charged with educating and guiding. arises from the hopeless feeling of beAll universities and colleges across ing at a dead end. the nation need to increase outreach A 2011 report from the College and visiting programs for low-income Board Advocacy and Policy Center and minority students, emphasize the found that, of males aged 15 to 24, affordability of college through finan51 percent of Hispanics, 45 percent cial aid and scholarships, emphasize of black Americans, 42 percent of the possibility and the benefits of atAmericans Indians and 33 percent of tending college and offer personalAsian-Americans are in prison, out of ized guidance for students interested work, homeless or dead. The same re- in college. Only when these efforts are port found that young males of color undertaken can we begin to move, as a are “overrepresented in special edu- nation, towards satisfactory represencation.” Many of these students come tation of all backgrounds in post-secfrom failing school districts and lack ondary educational institutions. access to tutors, mentors and other vital resources. Many are expected to perform at lower levels and are rarely Armani Madison ’16 believes it is exposed to opportunities beyond high inexcusable that the government school. spends just 2 percent of its annual Educational inequality involves budget on educating young disparities among people in regard minds. He can be reached at to their access to quality education, armani_madison@brown.edu

ARMANI MADISON

commentary 7

Reconciling differences JAY UPADHYAY opinions columnist

Over the course of this semester at Brown, we have seen a breadth of issues put at the forefront of both discussion and controversy. From questions of environmental awareness to new University policies, there seems to be clear division among different groups of students. These differences often seem irreconcilable, just like the disagreements we see between elected officials in Washington. In some of these conflicts, the right answer is clear — for instance, Keeney Quadrangle vandals need to be punished, as do thieves of Brown furniture. But in many others, I believe it is possible to find common ground between two conflicting positions. Take the recent outcry by students over the University’s investments in coal companies. The underlying message of environmental consciousness is not one unique to Brown — President Obama pushed forth new regulation for power plants in the coal industry just this year. Opponents of the Brown Divest Coal campaign and of Obama’s green energy policies as a whole tend to be those who do not see the efficacy of focusing on climate issues and who would prefer to limit regulation on companies for economic reasons. Nevertheless, these two positions are not irresoluble. If this debate expanded to include fiscal reforms, supporters of environmental issues could draw more supporters than they might expect. Carbon emissions caps with tradable permits would limit economic distortion, as the right to pollute would now be allocated freely in a competitive market. Similarly, a carbon tax could be pitched as a way to reduce the deficit through environmental action, a more palatable way of raising revenue than alter-

ing income or corporate taxes. The key areas. here is recognizing that these issues are When a measured approach isn’t complex and multi-faceted, rather than taken, the results can be disastrous. The simply shouting down the opposition. Affordable Care Act is a prime examAnother example of this is the ple. Passed with no Republican votes housing lottery. When the Universi- and vehemently opposed by the right ty announced that the process might throughout the election cycle and after, move online, there were responses President Obama’s health care reform is of relief met with angry reactions of the antithesis of bipartisan agreement. those who wanted to preserve tradition Even with the possibility of a govern(“Housing lottery potentially to move ment shutdown looming, Congress online,” Sep. 4). Again, positions on couldn’t reach a compromise on a delay this do not have to be a binary. Would or medical device tax repeal. So, with a it really be difficult for Brown to make sluggish online rollout and enrollment physical attendance optional and allow numbers below White House projecthose who did not want to show up at tions, the conversation has become a Sayles Hall to make their selections on- matter of finger-pointing rather than line? This seems like a common sense problem solving. Maybe a more cenapproach to rolling out new reform to trist shutdown solution that appeased a long-standing Brown tradition, but it some Republican wishes but retained wasn’t one definitively pushed forth by the core of the Affordable Care Act students or the University. would have spurned synergy instead At the national level, the lack of of blame. Should Congress have desubstantive discussion between those layed the individual mandate by a year? who disagree has beWhether you believe come a serious issue. the answer is yes or “The key here It appears one either no, there is room for is recognizing has to be for lower debate. taxes and lower govIndependent of that these issues ernment spending what the issue or disare complex and or higher taxes and cussion is, I do not multi-faceted, higher government think we see enough spending. But when rather than simply centrist policy at you truly delve into Brown or in Washshouting down the ington. Anyone — these issues, things are not so black and protesters on camopposition.” white. A mixed posipus or the leaders tion that worked from policy up instead of our country — who claims to have of ideology down could gain support the absolute legislative or executive across party lines and from the Ameri- prescription to the complex issues we can people. Why are there not more face should not be trusted. Especially mixed proposals? Why not reform en- at Brown, a place where ideas and distitlement programs like Social Security, cussion serve as a driving force of the preserve food stamps — which have Open Curriculum, I hope we can inhigh multiplier effects on gross domes- crease thoughtful propositions and tic product — and bring corporate and phase out absolutist convictions. territorial taxes in line with those in the rest of the developed world? I am not saying I support all of these things, but Jay Upadhyay ’15 would appreciate I, like many others, would appreciate a policies borne from critical more reasoned debate of these policy thought rather than ideology

daily herald city & state THE BROWN

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2013

UCS re-categorizes student groups State lights ‘Christmas’ tree after naming controversy

Council members discussed student groups’ goals before making decisions

The name ‘holiday tree’ spurred protest in past years from state residents and government officials

By MAXINE JOSELOW SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Undergraduate Council of Students evaluated student groups’ appeals for recategorization Wednesday at its last general body meeting of the semester. Representatives from six student groups who were displeased with the UCS Student Activities Committee’s categorization decisions — including Aldus, Biotechnology Investment Group, Brown International Scholarship Committee, Muslim Feminist Alliance, Partners in Health and TOMS Campus Club — attended the meeting. After a half hour of heated debate, the Council voted 28 to 16 not to approve TOMS Club as Category S, which would designate it a service group. At its general body meeting last month, the Council voted 17 to 14 to deny TOMS Campus Club Category S status. TOMS Campus Club “works to raise awareness about issues of health and poverty in Third World countries, specifically the issue of children without shoes or eyesight,” said Jenna Davis ’16, a leader of the group. Several Council members objected to TOMS Campus Club’s affiliation with a national, for-profit organization. “It seems more like a marketing campaign instead of a service group,” said Kiera Peltz ’16, chair of the UCS communications committee and a former Herald staff writer. “Any awareness you did would have the TOMS name on it, and thus be advertising the company,” said Kevin Carty ’15, a UCS general body member and former Herald opinions columnist. “How do you square that with saying you want to be a service group?” The Council debated for about 10 minutes before voting to approve Biotechnology Investment Group as Category 2. The group, which was previously designated Category 1, will now be

By SARAH PERELMAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

UNIVERSITY NEWS

INDIRA PRANABUDI / HERALD

UCS denied the TOMS Campus Club Category S status and approved the Biotechnology Investment Group as Category 2. eligible for $200 more funding. The UCS Student Activities Committee originally rejected the group’s request to become Category 2 because of its potential overlap with Brown Investment Group, said Alex Drechsler ’15, UCS student activities chair and a former Herald opinions columnist. Biotechnology Investment Group owns stocks in the health care sector, while Brown Investment group does not, said Giuliano Marostica ’15, a member of Biotechnology Investment Group and a former UCS general body member, in his presentation to the Council. The Council engaged in about 15 minutes of intense discussion before deferring its decision about Brown International Scholarship Committee to next semester. Todd Harris ’14.5, UCS president, expressed concern that Brown International Scholarship Committee had similar goals to Brown International Organization. Drechsler said he was worried that Brown International Scholarship Committee’s mission statement was too broad. The group’s mission includes sponsoring scholarships for international students, “fighting for need-blind

admission for international students and creating a discourse on internationality,” said Leila Veerasamy ’15, a member of Brown International Scholarship Committee and chair of the Undergraduate Finance Board. The Council voted not to give Muslim Feminist Alliance Category 1 status, citing what members called a lack of well-defined goals and ideas for initiatives. Looking ahead, Muslim Feminist Alliance should consider “partnering with classes that deal with some of the same issues,” such as HIST 1975U: “Gender, Empire amd the Nation in the Middle East,” said Maahika Srinivasan ’15, chair of the UCS academics and administrative affairs committee. The Council voted to approve Aldus, a translation journal, as a Category 3 student group. The UCS Student Activities Committee originally rejected Aldus’ request to become Category 3 because its leaders did not gather the necessary 15 signatures, Drechsler said. Though Partners in Health originally sought Category 1 status, the Council voted to constitute it as a Category S group because its mission included community service.

Holiday revelers will gather in the lobby of the Statehouse tonight to light Rhode Island’s first “Christmas tree” under Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s ’75 P’14 P’17 leadership, said Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis. Chafee made national headlines in the first two years of his tenure when he called the state’s December decoration a “holiday tree.” Chafee decided to call this year’s tree a “Christmas tree” in response to protests over the name “holiday tree,” he said in a statement released by his office Monday. “This presumably happy event became a focal point for too much anger,” he said. Two years ago, carolers at the Statehouse cut short a children’s choir in the midst of singing and began their own rendition of “O Christmas Tree” in protest of Chafee’s use of the term “holiday tree.” Protestors carried signs bearing slogans such as “saving Christmas one tree at a time,” according to a 2011 Politico report. Rep. Doreen Costa, D-Exeter and North Kingston, said she has held her own annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony on a different day than the state’s to allow citizens to light a “Christmas tree” rather than “holiday tree.” Mollis said he urged Chafee in October 2012 to use the phrase “Christmas tree” to “put some of the unnecessary controversy behind him” and to allow citizens to focus on his accomplishments, but Chafee had some reservations at the time, he said. Mollis introduced the issue again this year and offered to run the lighting through the Secretary of State office, he said. Chafee accepted the offer and sent official invitations to a “Christmas tree lighting,” Mollis added.

“All the credit needs to go to the governor,” Mollis said. “This could not have been done without (his) flexibility and leadership.” Costa said she is “thrilled” by Chafee’s decision and canceled her annual Christmas tree lighting, which was scheduled for Dec. 11. “There’s no need to have another Christmas tree lighting if there’s going to be one at the Statehouse,” she said. Many people expressed support for the new name because it more accurately describes the tree. “When they lit the Hannukia I didn’t call it a holiday candelabra,” said Henry Bodah, associate University chaplain for the Catholic community. Mollis said the national ceremony in Washington calls the White House tree a “Christmas tree” and celebrations at the State House for Hanukkah and other holidays use the specific terms, so it is natural that the tree should be called a “Christmas tree.” “I don’t have (objections to) it being called a Christmas tree because there is no tradition involving a tree at this time of the year for Muslims,” said R. David Coolidge, associate University chaplain for the Muslim community. Many people expressed surprise that Chafee’s decision in previous years to call the tree a “holiday tree” riled such a degree of protest, as the previous governor also used the same term and received little backlash. “Generally I object to the exclusion of Christmas as if we should be ashamed for celebrating Christmas,” Bodah said, adding that criticisms of Chafee were surprisingly heated, given that former Gov. Donald Carcieri ’65 saw few protests. Despite previous controversies, Rhode Islanders should rejoice in the holiday season and celebrate its history of religious freedom, Mollis said. The Christmas tree lighting will take place tonight at 5:30 p.m. and feature performances by Damhsa Irish Dance Foundation, Quisqueya In Action Youth Group and Venezuelan Rhode Island Performers, according to Chafee’s invitation.

Lecture presents findings on developmental learning in infants Psychologist Karen Adolph played videos of babies in various acts of problem-solving By ASHNA MUKHI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Clad only in a diaper, a baby perches at the top of a slide and eyes toys at the end of the path below him. Too young to walk, he slides down the slope to end his journey at the rewards he sought. Variations on this scenario — depicted in a series of videos psychologist Karen Adolph showed during a lecture Wednesday evening — illustrate the role learning to learn plays in influencing

SCIENCE & RESEARCH

motor skill development, Adolph argued. Part of the Michael S. Goodman ’74 Memorial Lecture Series, Adolph’s talk, titled “Learning to Move,” attracted a small crowd of students and faculty members — mostly from the Department of Cognitive, Linguistics and Psychological Sciences — to the Friedman Auditorium in Metcalf Chemistry and Research Laboratory. Using the baby videos and data from her research at the New York University Infant Action Lab, Adolph presented a series of experiments she conducted on infant movement, which demonstrated that as infants learn to problem solve they become better equipped to acquire skills such as walking. Adolph first demonstrated experiments that monitored the actions and

behaviors of infants as they tackled a series of obstacles in the lab, such as going down a slope or crossing a bridge. The results indicated that after weeks of practice, the infants began to modify their footfalls before stepping through the obstacles. This phenomenon, Adolph said, exhibits the concept of flexibility — that infants “select actions adaptively” and modify them when faced with new circumstances. This flexibility could be based on links between action and perception, Adolph said. Videos and data from her lab demonstrated how infants were influenced by their mothers’ encouragement, as well as their visual and physical engagement with the obstacle when deciding whether to tackle it, she said. “Infants weigh and integrate multiple sources of information” to guide their

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actions, she said. Adolph also argued that four separate learning curves exist for sitting, crawling, cruising and walking. She concluded from her experimental results that infants have to “learn and relearn to move” as they progress to each new stage of movement. In the videos, novice crawlers repeatedly tackled obstacles beyond their abilities, while experienced crawlers acted according to the circumstances around them. But even experienced crawlers could not adapt their behavior when walking through the obstacles. These results led Adolph to develop the idea that infants learn to learn — they learn to move through “spontaneous activity, exploration and new solutions.” Learning through the acquisition

of “static facts,” she argued, would not provide infants the flexibility required to navigate environments in which “novelty and variability are rampant.” This conclusion was met with some criticism from the audience members, who argued that if the infants were actually learning to learn the learning curves should reflect the process of adaptation. “There must be a flipping point,” said Hugo Bruggeman, assistant professor of CLPS. “At some point your actions do relate to the experiences you have had.” Students who attended the lecture said they thoroughly enjoyed Adolph’s presentation. “I definitely enjoyed watching the videos of the babies,” said Emily Thurston ’16, “It was really interesting to watch the different decisions they were making.”