SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
VOLUME CL, ISSUE 1
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Alcohol service barred at dorm parties Sexual assault task force
releases initial report
Key proposals include new website, increased transparency, change to current campus culture By JOSEPH ZAPPA UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
ANGELIA WANG / HERALD
The University cracked down on alcohol service in residential buildings after one incident involving date-rape drugs and another involving“inappropriate sexual contact” at two unregistered fraternity parties in October.
Phi Psi and Sigma Chi face stiff penalties after reports of sexual misconduct related to social events By JOSEPH ZAPPA UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
Registered events with alcohol will be banned in residential areas, including
Greek and program houses, while the Division of Campus Life and Student Services reviews the University’s alcohol policies this semester, wrote Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services, and Russell Carey ’91 MA’06, executive vice president for planning and policy, in a communitywide email Monday afternoon. Student organizations that have not committed any infractions may
still host University-sponsored parties that include alcohol service to those of legal drinking age, Carey and Klawunn wrote. These events must be supervised and take place in campus spaces designated for parties, such as Sayles Hall and the Kasper Multipurpose Room, Klawunn told The Herald. Organizations that violate the new policies will face an administration » See ALCOHOL, page 2
The Task Force on Sexual Assault released an interim report with shortterm recommendations for improving the University’s sexual assault and prevention policies, President Christina Paxson P’19 wrote in a communitywide email Dec. 17. The report — compiled by a group of 17 administrators, faculty members and students — includes research conducted since the task force began its work in September and suggestions for measures to be implemented as soon as this month. Several major concerns surface in the report about University policies and procedures on sexual assault and sexual violence, including the clarity of information and timelines, trauma exacerbated by the current complaint process, weakness of sanctions for those found guilty of assault, transparency in communicating the
occurrence of sexual assault to the community and a lack of sexual assault awareness training programs. The report shows that Brown is not immune to national trends. Brown students who completed a fall 2013 survey conducted by the University reported unwanted touching and attempts to penetrate without consent over the past 12 months at levels significantly higher than national averages from the Spring 2013 American College Health Association’s National College Health Assessment. Almost 13 percent of Brown respondents reported experiencing unwanted touching, compared to 6.4 percent nationally, and 4.5 percent reported attempted sexual penetration without consent, compared to 2.8 percent nationally. The need for “changing cultural norms” on campus to address sexual violence emerged as a priority in the report. “The current norms and culture of the Brown University campus are not acceptable, and as a community we must seek in word and deed to fundamentally change that culture in order to ensure that the Brown campus is » See TASK FORCE, page 3
U. receives Mellon grant for Chernow ’79 selected as next finance VP digital scholarship initiative Stony Brook administrator Grant to support digital publication of faculty members’ works, new digital scholarly editor By ELANA JAFFE SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the University a $1.3-million grant to support the digital scholarship initiative in President Christina Paxson’s P’19 strategic plan, according to a Jan. 12 press release. The funds will help Brown return to the “original mission of the University during the Enlightenment, the dissemination of knowledge, but in a digital world,” said Kevin McLaughlin P’12, dean of the faculty and one of the primary contributors to the grant proposal, along with Catherine Nellis, senior director of development in the Office of Foundation Relations and School of Public Health, and University Librarian Harriette Hemmasi. The grant will be used to hire a digital scholarly editor and technological staff members who will assist faculty members in the humanities and social
INSIDE
sciences with digital publications of their works, McLaughlin said. The grant also includes funds specific to undergraduate research assistant stipends, he added. A prototype for releasing digital publications will be implemented over a five-year period, during which a faculty advisory committee will annually select several projects to test the new infrastructure, McLaughlin said. Brown was one of the earliest proponents of digital scholarship, he added. The Mellon Foundation “will monitor the grant through annual reports and help ensure that what is learned at Brown is widely disseminated and informs scholarly publishing and university presses,” wrote Don Waters, senior program officer for scholarly communications at the Mellon Foundation, in an email to The Herald. The shift toward digital publications is part of the “emerging paradigm for scholars in the humanities,” said Elias Muhanna, assistant professor of comparative literature, who is working on a Digital Islamic Humanities Project. A digital project is appealing because “it doesn’t begin as a more » See MELLON, page 3
to begin in March, seven months before capital campaign’s launch By LINDSAY GANTZ STAFF WRITER
Barbara Chernow ’79 will succeed Beppie Huidekoper as the next executive vice president for finance and administration effective March 1, President Christina Paxson P’19 announced in a community-wide email Dec. 12. The appointment concludes a search that began in August, when Huidekoper announced her intention to retire after more than 12 years in the position. Chernow currently serves as Stony Brook University’s senior vice president for administration. Though her new title is different, the job description is the same, Chernow told The Herald. Chernow said she has worked closely with students, faculty members and staff members during her time at Stony Brook to improve dining services, implement energy-saving programs and change parking and transportation systems. “I’m very, very proud of the work I’ve done with my staff,” she said.
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After spearheading initiatives at Stony Brook, including dining and transportation, Barbara Chernow ’79 will bring her expertise to College Hill. At Brown, Chernow will be charged with “leading and directing essentially all of the non-academic operations of the University” and overseeing a “range of strategic planning issues to advance the University’s mission and
goals, including the development of short- and long-term financial and capital plans,” Paxson wrote. The impending capital campaign — set to go public in October 2015 » See CHERNOW, page 2
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
ARTS & CULTURE Mama Kim’s and other food trucks tussle with police, cease Thayer Street operations
METRO New Gov. Gina Raimondo and General Assembly to tackle $200 million budget deficit
COMMENTARY Corvese ’15: Students should not ignore lack of diversity among Oscar nominees
COMMENTARY Powers ’15: Alcohol policy protects University liability more than student safety
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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
» CHERNOW, from page 1 — will focus on financing the priorities Paxson outlined in her strategic plan. Chernow will also work in collaboration with Provost Vicki Colvin and the University Resources Committee to develop annual budget recommendations, Paxson wrote. The University currently faces a
members graduating in 2015 and 2016 will be filled with independents in the coming years, Klawunn said. Fraternity members will also be obligated to participate in programs that teach them about alcohol, sexual assault and the preservation of a safe environment, according to the email. Both Sigma Chi and Phi Kappa Psi appealed their decisions to no avail. “Phi Kappa Psi does not condone the illegal possession, use or sale of drugs and supports the University’s efforts to ensure that students are not put at risk,” the fraternity wrote in a letter to the editor Tuesday afternoon. But they added, “Very serious questions arising from emerging scientific evidence remain about whether or not either of the women ingested GHB,
and for these reasons, Phi Kappa Psi continues to believe that no member served a spiked drink to either of the young women.” In another letter to the editor sent to The Herald Monday evening, Greek Council wrote that it “supports the University’s efforts to promote a safer environment on Brown’s campus” and is “committed to working with the administration and the greater Brown community to address the serious issues that we as a community are facing.” Carey, President Christina Paxson P’19 and Associate Director for Off Campus Living and Programs Kate Tompkins were not available for comment by press time Tuesday evening, and several fraternity and sorority leaders declined to comment.
structural operating budget deficit of about $10 million. To address this concern, Paxson and Colvin formed a Deficit Reduction Working Group in October and charged its 23 members with finding $7 million in cost savings. Chernow said she is “looking forward to learning more about the issue” and plans to “listen carefully,” though she will not determine her specific
goals and strategies until she arrives on campus. “I really want to work with the team at Brown to find out what the needs are and what the priorities are,” Chernow said. “My goal is really to help the president with her plan.” Huidekoper managed the University’s finances and operations during the execution of former President Ruth
Simmons’ Plan for Academic Enrichment. Despite dropping by about $740 million when the 2008 financial crisis hit, the University’s endowment grew overall during Huidekoper’s tenure. The endowment’s market value reached a record high of $3.2 billion during the last reported fiscal year, but it remains the lowest in the Ivy League.
“I think that Beppie had an incredible impact at Brown, and because of her insight, good work and planning, Brown is in a good place,” Chernow said. Chernow said her undergraduate experience at Brown influenced her greatly and she is “excited to be back with an active and engaged campus community.”
THAYER ST.
The Herald. “As many students as we can, we’re moving for the spring,” she said. The email announced that Sigma Chi was also placed under sanctions for hosting an unregistered party Oct. 3 where alcohol was served in its basement. The Department of Public Safety shut down the party, and, as students left the room, one student was allegedly touched in “a sexual nature” without her consent, Carey and Klawunn wrote. Following a student organization hearing Oct. 31, Sigma Chi was put on probation and suspended until fall 2016. Until the termination of that suspension, the fraternity is forbidden from recruiting new members and from holding rush and initiation events. Rooms of current Sigma Chi
GEORGE ST.
Sanctioned fraternities
Fraternities Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Chi were cited by Sharpe the University in a fectory Phi Kappa Psi Re campus-wide email for Olney recent party-related offenses. Phi Kappa Psi was Marcy stripped of University Buxton recognition, including n a im D housing, for four years, and Sigma Chi has been suspended, has lost access to Sigma Chi Goddard social spaces in Olney House Harkness and is not permitted to hold rush this year or next. ST. RLESFIELD Sears
Chapin
Wayland
prepared to issue sanctions comparable to those incurred by Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Chi. “We’re making information available so that it’s known what kind of sanction could follow,” Klawunn said. The review this spring will assess “alcohol policy and social event regulations to promote a safer environment on campus,” the administrators wrote in the email. Though the University commissioned an external review to assess campus alcohol use and policies last May, this review will differ, as it will focus “very specifically on how we manage social events on campus,” Klawunn said. The email signals a shift in policy that will shake up campus life, but its effects may be most immediately apparent on Wriston Quad. Following separate sexual misconduct reports filed by students who attended unregistered parties with alcohol service at Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Chi, both fraternities have received sanctions that will restrict their presence on campus. Though no member of either fraternity has been “charged with sexual misconduct” in the reported incidents, both have been held culpable “for creating an environment that facilitated sexual misconduct through improperly monitored spaces and inadequate safeguards surrounding the service of alcohol,” Carey and Klawunn wrote. “We recognize that, in the instances discussed in this letter, not all students within the organizations were
individually responsible for the events that occurred. It is imperative, however, that all students take full responsibility for the behaviors of their organizations,” they added. The University levied the harshest punishment against Phi Kappa Psi, where two students were given drinks with GHB, a date-rape drug, at an unregistered party with alcohol service held in October. One student reported that she was sexually assaulted later that evening as a result of being drugged at the party, though the assault did not take place at the fraternity. A conduct board — composed of an administrator, a faculty member and a student — held the organization liable for several violations, including “actions that can result in harm; illegal possession or use of drugs; illegal provision, sale, or possession with intent to sell/ provide drugs; and violation of operational rules,” Carey and Klawunn wrote. The conduct board stripped Phi Kappa Psi of University recognition, which includes the right to program housing, for the next four years. The sanctions against Phi Kappa Psi will take immediate effect due to the gravity of the most recent offenses and the fraternity’s history of infractions, Carey and Klawunn wrote. These immediate measures will manifest themselves most clearly in the physical dispersion of the fraternity’s members. The University has already moved many members out of Sears House, where their fraternity was previously housed, offering them offcampus housing or dormitory rooms elsewhere on campus similar to those they had last semester, Klawunn told
BROWN ST.
» ALCOHOL, from page 1
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JILLIAN LANNEY / HERALD
UNIVERSITY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 • PAGE 3
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» TASK FORCE, from page 1 a safe and welcoming place to learn, teach, conduct research, work and live for all members of the community,” the report reads. The document echoes the stress on “changes in policies and practices” found in the reports from the Committee on the Events of October 29, which examined the controversial protest and shutdown of a planned on-campus lecture by former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, Paxson told The Herald. “Culture change is probably one of the hardest things to do in a university or in a society, and one hopes that changes in policies and practices drive culture change,” she added. In order to motivate culture change, the report suggests introducing mandatory sexual assault awareness training for all students, faculty members and staff members. “Mandatory training is going to be an important component of what we do,” Paxson said, adding that “I’m not sure exactly what form that will take… but I know we have to do it.” As the interim report mentions, Paxson has called for reforms that will position Brown as a “national leader” among universities seeking to address sexual violence on campus. Paxson said she would consult with
» MELLON, from page 1 traditional research project and then find its way onto the Internet,” he said. “Some forms of research in the humanities are now becoming more data-intensive,” McLaughlin said. He added that the digital publication team is analogous to a state-of-the-art piece of equipment shared among faculty members in the hard sciences. Professors in the humanities and social sciences interviewed all expressed positive sentiments about the opportunities the grant could provide. “I, and other folks at Brown, are very keen to have access to institutional support that will help us think imaginatively about how to promote and disseminate our work,” Muhanna said. “In the past, people who were interested in digital models had to figure out how to fold that new model into a traditional box.” Faculty members will be able to explore new ways of publishing and disseminating research, in addition to working with the digital scholarly editor on finding effective ways to use technology in humanistic scholarship, said James Green, Carlos Manuel de Cespedes professor of modern Latin American history and Portuguese and Brazilian studies and director of the Brazil Initiative. Courtney J. Martin, assistant professor of history of art and architecture,
her staff in order to determine which recommendations the administration can implement immediately and which changes will require approval by the faculty or the Corporation, the University’s highest governing body. The task force proposed in the report that major resources related to sexual assault be compiled and organized in a clear manner on a “centralized university website” before the beginning of the spring semester. One of these resources should be a graphic detailing the student conduct process and the measures available to students in the immediate aftermath of an incident, according to the report. Such a website featuring these resources has not yet been created. The task force’s members wrote that they were “struck” by how many students lack knowledge or awareness of these resources, which underscores the need for the University to better publicize them. The proposed website featuring sexual assault resources would improve upon the current system of informing students of these resources, said Emily Schell ’16, founder of Stand Up, a student organization that aims to prevent sexual assault on campus. “How do you expect people to sift through nine websites the day after being sexually assaulted to determine a course of action?” she asked.
The task force also proposed that the appeals process should take no longer than 30 days from the time an appeal is filed to the time a decision is made. The University should also clearly communicate deadlines to the parties involved in the complaint process and make the rationale for any sanctions clear to those who receive them, according to the report. If implemented, all of the report’s proposals will ideally lead to an unprecedented level of clarity and transparency in the University’s approach to sexual assault, said Katie Byron ’15, a member of the task force. “Having transparent policies is part of how we build a culture of trust” between students and administrators, Byron said. She added that she hopes this trust spurs students to believe the survivors who come forward. Schell voiced support for many of the recommendations in the report, especially the suggestion to provide students who receive sanctions with a rationale for their punishment. “The University system actually has an opportunity here to be educational,” Schell said. Rather than simply giving sanctioned students lines out of the Code of Student Conduct delineating exactly which rules they have broken, the University should seek to explain hearing decisions in
used a software project called Touch Art Gallery in her course last semester HIAA 0010: “A Global History of Art and Architecture” co-taught by Sheila Bonde, professor of archaeology and the ancient world and professor in and chair of the history of art and architecture department. The project was spearheaded by Professor of Computer Science Andy van Dam and serves as a museum guide to large pieces of artwork with advanced zoom functions and hotspot hyperlinks. Martin said she was excited about the resources the digital scholarly editor would bring to the faculty, adding that “we need more bridges between the academy and technology.” “The Mellon Foundation giving this donation shows that we are a part of looking and thinking critically to come up with new models,” Green said. The fact that Brown is at the forefront of this “cutting–edge experiment” is very exciting, he added. “There are many different directions this could take,” Green said, adding that the role of digital scholarship is an open question in the humanities. “There is still some question about the value of purely digital scholarship as far as tenure or promotion proposals are concerned,” Hemmasi said. She added that the shift towards digitizing the humanities and social sciences is not just happening at the University, but across these fields at
peer institutions. Stanford University recently received a similar $1.2-million grant from the Mellon Foundation, according to a Jan. 12 Stanford press release. “The Stanford grant is designed to build the capability of university presses,” Waters wrote. While the grant Stanford received resembles previous grants from the Mellon Foundation, the grant the University received differs in that it allows individual faculty members to gain funding while bypassing the University press, McLaughlin said. This approach signifies the “new era of online content that can be distributed globally at very little cost to the producer,” he added. The University Library will aim to stay involved with the grant and “continue to work with individual faculty on putting their scholarly ideas and themes into an appropriate digital context or medium,” Hemmasi said. She added that the library staff could be instrumental in helping humanities and social sciences faculty members use “new methods of interacting with data and evidence.” Digital scholarship does not preclude traditional scholarship, at least not yet. Many professors still consider digital media as a companion to more traditional means. Publishing in print is becoming increasingly less viable, Green said, adding that he will “mourn that loss.”
a way that makes perpetrators fully understand the consequences of their actions, she added. But Schell said she was concerned that the report, at 25 pages, is too long. The length could deter students who are not particularly passionate about the issue from reading and engaging with the report, Schell said, adding that this could exacerbate the gap in awareness between what she perceives as a small minority of very involved students and a majority who care about the issue but are not directly involved. The report also urges that all students sanctioned to leave the University should be removed immediately from their campus residencies and either be restricted to a specific campus function, such as attending classes, or be forbidden from campus entirely. While the Office of Student Life currently oversees this process, the task force calls for this practice to be established as an expectation and codified this semester. The task force also suggested the incorporation of investigators, such as attorneys or professionals with other relevant experience, into the hearing process. Investigators could “assemble facts in a way that can be useful for resolving a complaint and also take the burden off the students,” said
Russell Carey ’91 MA’06, executive vice president for planning and policy and co-chair of the task force. Some peer institutions have already adopted the practice of hiring investigators for sexual assault cases, he added. This semester, students will participate in a national survey organized by the Association of American Universities, Carey said. The task force recommended that the University publish the data that relates specifically to Brown. The task force will hold further discussions and finalize its initial recommendations over the first few months of the spring semester before submitting a final report in March. Paxson said she would consult with staff members in the Office of the President to determine which recommendations the administration can implement immediately and which changes will require approval by the faculty or the Corporation, she said. At the time, Paxson said she would likely release a response to the report before the beginning of the semester addressing whether a certain suggestion has already been implemented, will be implemented in the future or will probably not be implemented. If the University decides not to adopt a recommendation, Paxson will explain why, she added. A response has yet to be released.
UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Library union settles contract dispute UCS to prioritize sexual New contract creates labor management committee, fills three unionized positions By LINDSAY GANTZ STAFF WRITER
Following nearly three months of negotiations, unionized library workers unanimously agreed to the University’s proposed contract Dec. 15, said Karen McAninch, business agent for the library workers’ union, United Service and Allied Workers of Rhode Island. The old contract expired Sept. 30 and was extended to allow for ongoing negotiations. The new contract is set to expire in September 2017 and includes changes that union members hope will lead to professional development and more unionized employees, McAninch said. Of the five unionized positions vacated recently, the University agreed to fill two with full-time unionized employees and one with a semi-permanent employee, McAninch said. But filling union positions is “a moving target” because vacancies frequently open up, she added. In the new contract, the University agreed to omit earlier proposals related to disciplinary proceedings, storm day policies and health insurance rates. In a previous version of the contract, the University proposed extending the amount of time a verbal, written or suspension order would remain on
an employee’s record. The new contract leaves the current disciplinary policies unchanged, McAninch said. A proposal to let the University determine storm days, as opposed to a city-wide parking ban, was also taken off the table, she added. The expected healthcare contribution of library workers will remain at the current rate of 12 percent, though an earlier proposal suggested raising the rate to 14 percent. “We’re pleased that the library union and University negotiators were able to reach a fair and competitive agreement,” wrote Marisa Quinn, then-vice president for public affairs and University relations, in an email to The Herald. “The University values its employees and appreciates the many contributions made by our library staff.” Under the new contract, a labor management committee comprising three University administrators and three unionized workers formed. The group will meet once a month to discuss training and job opportunities for unionized workers, McAninch said. Though a similar committee formed during the last contract’s negotiations in 2010, it was ineffective due to infrequent meetings, McAninch said. “This one has a lot more bells and whistles, so we’re hoping it will be more effective,” she said, citing the inclusion of a library administrator as a positive change. The digitization of the libraries has contributed to the decreasing number of unionized library workers, said Mark Baumer MFA ’11, senior library
associate specialist and a member of the negotiating team. As the library becomes “more and more web-based,” most employees hired to do technical work are not unionized, Baumer said. “We understand that some of the work we’ve done in the past no longer exists,” he said, adding that there is less need for catalog work, such as putting call numbers on books and entering them in a system. The new contract makes training programs and workshops on the library’s digital offerings more available to unionized workers, McAninch said. Baumer said that “in the last couple years there’s been very little training offered” to unionized employees, noting that unionized library workers have not had access to training on book preservation or on the digitization process for large manuscripts. After gathering and circulating a petition to show support for library workers during the ongoing negotiations, the Student Labor Alliance held a final march at University Hall Dec. 8, said Stoni Tomson ’15, an SLA member. The student group also facilitated a sit-in at the Rockefeller Library during reading period that about 30 students attended, Tomson said. Without the support of SLA, “we wouldn’t have gotten the contract we got,” Baumer said. Looking ahead, Tomson said SLA will “keep fighting” to hold University administrators accountable to the needs of library workers during future contract negotiations.
assault policy, mental health Corporation accountability, faculty diversity other major council focuses By NATALIE FONDRIEST SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Undergraduate Council of Students will focus on sexual assault and mental health resources, Corporation accountability and faculty diversity this semester, UCS leaders told The Herald. Following the Sexual Assault Task Force’s release of its interim report at the end of last semester, UCS aims to push the administration to apply the report’s short-term recommendations to the Code of Student Conduct, said UCS President Maahika Srinivasan ’15. While UCS will continue to support the task force’s efforts to collect feedback through undergraduate open forums, it will also look to offer smaller avenues such as written feedback and one-on-one sessions with a task force member, Srinivasan said. “Especially with an issue like sexual assault, walking into an open forum isn’t the most comfortable or the most safe for a lot of people,” she added. Justice Gaines ’16, an undergraduate representative on the task force, said the group seeks student voices to support “anything in the final report that’s controversial” in order to encourage Corporation approval of interim report recommendations. He added that the task force hopes to draft a final report to be released in March. Katherine Byron ’15, another undergraduate representative on the task force, said UCS help was “instrumental” and “exceeded expectations,” adding that Srinivasan was a “force of nature” in her commitment to support the task force’s goals. Moving forward, UCS can help publicize information so “people aren’t necessarily slipping through the cracks because they didn’t open that one email,” Byron said. The council will also continue working to expand discussions on mental health “to a broader sphere” this semester, said Sazzy Gourley ’16, UCS vice president and chair of the UCS Outreach and Advocacy committee. Last semester, UCS held a campuswide open forum on mental health and appointed students to the Mental Health Community Council, he said. The council also released an op-ed in The Herald about the need for more mental health resources drafted by Gourley and Dolma Ombadykow ’17, an MHCC representative and chief operating officer of the Brown chapter of Let’s Erase the Stigma, a student group
advocating mental health awareness. Gourley said UCS will “push administrators to be more responsive to student concerns about mental health policies and resources, specifically in working with the appointed students to the MHCC in ensuring more student feedback … is incorporated into discussions.” The council will aim to use student focus groups as forums for attendees “to share their experiences with medical leave and other leave-taking policies,” he said, adding that feedback from these forums will likely inform MHCC discussions and policy changes. The council will also work with Counseling and Psychological Services to update its website to include employee information and feedback forms, Gourley said. UCS Student Activities Chair E-Soo Kim ’15 said the council has spoken with the Office of Admission about incorporating a mental health forum into the agenda of A Day on College Hill to raise awareness of various health and wellness resources on campus. UCS will seek to improve Corporation accountability by increasing student-Corporation engagement, Srinivasan said. UCS collaborates with the Student Power Initiative, a student group that advocates adding a student representative to the Corporation, to propose measures such as student body focus groups for Corporation members to “funnel direct student feedback” on major campus issues. Srinivasan added that UCS will also work to formalize student involvement in the selection process of young alumni positions on the Corporation. Young alums are “considered the closest link between the Corporation and the student body” in terms of age and culture, and two young alumni positions will be vacant at the end of the semester, she said. After discussions with the Corporation, UCS also hopes to appoint students as regular contributors — but not as voting members — to University committees such as the University Resources Committee or the College Curriculum Council, she added. To address issues of faculty diversity, UCS will release its Diversity Action Plan at the beginning of the semester, Gourley said. Council members worked closely with Liza Cariaga-Lo, vice president for academic development, diversity and inclusion, to collect student input through focus groups at the end of last semester and hope to repeat the process as the plan takes form, he said. UCS will push administrators to gather “input from a broader range of student organizations and communities,” he added.
UNIVERSITY NEWS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 • PAGE 5
Cass Cliatt named new vice president for communications Franklin and Marshall College communications chief will replace Marisa Quinn in April By CAROLINE KELLY UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
Cass Cliatt, vice president for communications at Franklin and Marshall College, will come to Brown as vice president for communications April 1, President Christina Paxson P’19 announced in a community-wide email Dec. 19. Cliatt will succeed Marisa Quinn, who became director of communications and outreach at the Watson Institute for International Studies Jan. 1. Directors in Public Affairs and University Relations are managing the office during the three-month interval between Quinn’s move and Cliatt’s arrival, Quinn wrote in an email to The Herald. The position’s title will change from vice president for public affairs and University relations to vice president for communications due to restructuring of some administrative offices. Like Quinn, Cliatt will preside over 18 staff members, including those in the Office of News and Communication, the Office of Web Communications and the Brown Alumni Magazine. But as of Jan. 1, Executive Vice President for Policy and Planning Russell Carey ’91 MA’06 now oversees the Office of Government Relations and Community Affairs, which previously reported to Quinn. “This organizational change will align our government and community relations with the University’s strategic growth and economic development planning, which Russell oversees,” Paxson wrote in December. In her new role, Cliatt will develop and execute “a strategic communications plan that supports and advances the University’s goals and priorities,” Paxson wrote. She will also act as the University’s primary spokesperson for media inquiries and counsel
administrators and faculty members on communications, Paxson added. Additionally, she will serve on the Cabinet and Executive Committee. Cliatt said she was attracted to the University in part due to Paxson’s strategic plan, “Building on Distinction,” adding that the document “outlines a vision for educational excellence, for academic excellence, for making a difference in the world.” “It’s always important to arrive at a new institution and really understand what the strengths of the existing communications are,” she said. “I look forward to arriving on the Brown campus … and then building a strategic vision from there.” At Franklin and Marshall, Cliatt spearheaded policies “to protect the institution’s identity,” oversaw improvements to its website and managed its social media presence, Paxson wrote. Cliatt said she expects her role at Brown to differ from that at Franklin and Marshall due to the unique characters of the institutions. “When you’re at a place like Franklin and Marshall, it’s a much more intimate environment — it’s a college, not a university,” she said. Cliatt will add to the diversity of a senior administration that includes just three people of color. The majority of senior administrators are white, including the president, provost, dean of the College and dean of the faculty. After graduating from Princeton with an English degree, Cliatt obtained a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She originally pursued a career as a reporter, working for the newspapers the Daily Herald, the Battle Creek Enquirer and the Lincoln Journal Star. She joined the Cook County Clerk’s office in Chicago in 2003 as deputy director of communications and policy. From 2005 to 2011, she served as an administrator at her alma mater, Princeton, first as director of media relations and then as director of news and editorial services.
www.browndailyherald.com
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Cass Cliatt, vice president for communications at Franklin and Marshall College, formerly worked as deputy director of communications and policy at the Cook County Clerk’s office in Chicago.
METRO
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Mayor, City Council president differ on budget opinion Citywide budget deficit may strain relationship between Aponte and Elorza in coming fiscal year By SARAH NOVICOFF STAFF WRITER
Only hours after the Providence City Council elected Councilman Luis Aponte as its president on Jan. 5, Mayor Jorge Elorza was inaugurated on the steps of City Hall. Each elected for a four-year term, these two men will work together to govern Providence on issues from the budget to education reform. Elorza spoke in his inaugural address on the potential for a “New Providence,”
where a family like his can achieve the American dream, rising from immigrant to mayor in a few generations. “This is a whole new team,” said Scott MacKay, political analyst for Rhode Island Public Radio. Angel Taveras, the former mayor, and Michael Solomon, the former City Council President who ran against Elorza for the Democratic mayoral nomination, had a very good relationship with one another. Elorza and Aponte met for the first
time in their new roles last week and announced that they will be conducting meetings at least weekly for the full length of their terms. They discussed “their shared vision for the city and ways they can work together to move Providence forward,” wrote Evan England, press secretary for the mayor, in an email to The Herald. The effectiveness of Elorza’s and Aponte’s relationship will be tested by the $8-12 million budget deficit that the city faces for the fiscal year ending in June, McKay said. Friendly handshakes won’t be enough to close the gap, he added.
Elorza has pledged not to raise taxes in his first city budget, but Aponte has not agreed to the same pledge, WPRI reported. This could be a sticking point in arbitrations in which both parties will have to agree in order to enact the budget before the next fiscal year, MacKay said. The municipal budget will be released in February or March after negotiations between Elorza and Aponte. Without raising taxes, the city will have to either cut programs or look for new sources of revenue, a “perennial problem in Providence,” where much of the land is owned by nonprofits, such
as universities and certain hospitals that don’t pay property taxes, MacKay said. “As we work with a steady hand, let us remember that no city has ever cut its way to greatness,” Elorza said in his inaugural address, referencing cuts to city spending. “Now more than ever, we must be creative, we must be resourceful, and we must work together to launch our city forward.” While Elorza doesn’t want to cut programs, he also has ambitious plans for expensive new services, MacKay said. “Elorza is deeply committed to addressing a wide breadth of challenges and opportunities facing the city,” England said, referencing growing commerce at the port, improving public schools and increasing transparency within his administration. On the campaign trail, Elorza discussed transforming Providence schools into community centers, with programming outside of the school day for students and their families, as well as improving students’ academic performance. The need for a more community-oriented police force was also an important topic in the address. Elorza is aware of the disparity in funds between his proposals and his pledge, and he has floated plans to raise more revenue from nonprofits through donations or fees for city services, such as snow plows. Elorza also campaigned on growing the port, which would create jobs and generate more tax revenue. Newly-elected Governor Gina Raimondo will likely raise the amount of state funds allocated to the city of Providence, particularly for public schools, MacKay said. Aponte and the City Council office did not return multiple requests for comment by press time.
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 • PAGE 7
General Assembly, governor stare down structural deficit Uncertainty remains over likelihood of bipartisan agreement on tax cuts for elderly By DUNCAN GALLAGHER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
In the first month of Gov. Gina Raimondo’s term, plans for statewide economic recovery have and will continue to dominate discussion in both chambers of the General Assembly and in the Office of the Governor. The new governor inherits a budget deficit of nearly $200 million and a structural deficit expected to reach $400 million by 2019. She will also need to grapple with Rhode Island’s unemployment rate, which is among the highest in the nation at 7.1 percent as of November, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The governor indicated throughout her campaign that ameliorating the unemployment crisis and budget deficit are priorities her. In both her inaugural address and an interview last month with Rhode Island Public Radio, she expressed her intention to eliminate the “unsustainable” structural deficit entirely over the course of her first term in office. The state has developed a bit of a tradition in welcoming executives with budgetary woes: Former Gov. Lincoln Chafee ’75 P’14 P’17 entered office with a deficit of $300 million waiting for him, RIPR reported. What remains to be seen is how Raimondo will address these significant financial issues, and the General Assembly awaits Raimondo’s proposed budget. Though normally submitted in early January, Raimondo, as a new governor, will have an extra month to complete the budget. It will then be debated, changed and eventually passed by the General Assembly, before being signed by Raimondo. Meanwhile, party leaders in both chambers of the legislature have been vocal about their intentions to work closely with the governor in the coming year. Both Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, D-Cranston, and
Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, have pledged to cooperate extensively with Raimondo in preparing legislation, the Providence Journal reported. While both chambers of the legislature retain a Democratic supermajority, plans for recovery among party leaders differ somewhat. Mattiello, who was unanimously elected as speaker this month by his colleagues, has advocated a plan to make social security benefits exempt from state income tax, which would eliminate about $20 million in tax revenue. The state’s current tax policy makes Rhode Island an “outlier state,” said Larry Berman, Mattielo’s communications director, adding that Rhode Island is one of only 13 states to tax social security income. Social security tax reform would make the state more appealing to retirees, Berman said, which would generate enough economic output to offset the anticipated revenue loss. House Minority Leader Brian Newberry, R-North Smithfield and Burrville, also endorsed this policy, adding that state Republicans have supported it for years. But “the real issue that the state needs to deal with,” he said, “is the structural deficit.” The key to reducing the structural deficit will be reigning in the state’s “ballooning” social spending budget, Newberry said. He added that the social spending budget, in combination with the state’s pension system, made up nearly half the state’s budget in recent years. Newberry said he is optimistic about how state Democrats will work with minority leadership to reduce spending, adding that Raimondo contacted state Republicans about what to include in the budget. While this is no indication of whether these policies will ultimately be included, “it’s good for a Democratic governor to reach out to Republicans in the legislature to at least understand where we’re coming from,” he said. The Office of the Governor could not be reach for comment by press time.
ALEXIA DELHOUME / HERALD
Newly inaugurated Gov. Gina Raimondo has inherited a hefty deficit that will likely continue to be a source of tension among state legislators. Her upcoming budget proposal will be the first test of her campaign promises.
ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 8 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
‘The New Black’ depicts conflict between black and LGBT identities Yoruba Richen ’94 returns to campus for screening and Q&A with Residential Peer Leaders By GRACE YOON SENIOR STAFF WRITER
“Black community is not monolithic,” says Reverend Eric P. Lee, dispelling ideas of a universal and singular African-American viewpoint in “The New Black,” a documentary by Yoruba Richen ’94. The film exposes the divisions among blacks and the intersection of and conflict between black and LGBT individuals surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage. Together, they shared laughter and poignancy while witnessing moments of defeat, despair and ultimate triumph in the process of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Maryland. Students gathered in Salomon 101 on Monday for the film screening and question-and-answer session with Richen sponsored by the Office of Residential Life. The film starts with President Obama’s inauguration in 2008 — the same day on which Proposition 8, the same-sex marriage ban in California, was passed and follows the passage of the law legalizing same-sex marriage in Maryland in February 2012. The Office of Residential Life screened the documentary as part of its Residential Peer Leader training, said Annie Maselli, co-chair of the RPL training committee. The committee chose Richen’s film for its depiction of the intersectionality of multiple identities in a unique way, she said. “We’ve been reflecting on previous trainings,” she said, adding that since last year the committee has brainstormed meaningful events for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day that are applicable to the work the RPLs do on campus. The film follows some key figures during the campaign, such as Sharon Lettman-Hicks, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, several black ministers who have started challenging anti-gay sentiments in black churches and leading anti-gay black ministers, most
COURTESY OF NATALIE ASALGADO
Students who returned early to campus gathered in Salomon 101 Monday afternoon to watch a screening of the documentary “The New Black” followed by a question-and-answer session with the filmmaker Yoruba Richen ’94. notably Pastor Derek McCoy. Though the film focuses heavily on the role of the black church in LBGT rights, it demonstrates its complexity through the multitude of these voices. The personal narratives of young activists who grapple with their conflicting black and LGBT identities emerge from the political heat portrayed in the film. While the film investigates why black and LGBT communities seem to be “pitted against each other,” it also gives voice to LGBT blacks who were “completely erased from that conversation,” Richen said after the screening. Though she chose the name “The New Black” for its “provocative nature,” she said the term represents
“the young activists who work for equality in our community.” Several scenes of the activists at home with their families add poignancy to the film. In one scene, Karess, an activist and organizer for the Human Rights Campaign, visits her foster grandmother. After explaining that her grandmother does not know of her work in Baltimore, the film depicts them sitting on the front porch and talking about whether the grandmother is comfortable with Karess’ activity in the LGBT rights movement. At the end of their discussion, Karess comes out, asking whether her grandmother accepts her identity. The grandmother holds Karess’ hands and responds, “Grandma will love
COUTESY OF NATALIE ASALGADO
After the screening, Yoruba Richen ’94 answered student questions regarding the filmmaking process and the critical reception she received for her work.
you” — a moment that elicited many snaps from the audience. Maselli said she hoped the screening would help the RPLs “grow together as a community and support their residents.” Maselli added that the RPLs agreed they should “continue to come back to the film throughout the semester as they plan next year’s training and incorporate more of these events.” “Brown should definitely provide more spaces for this specific discussion of the tension between the marriage equality movement and the black religious community,” said Genesis Medina ’17, a minority peer counselor. “It should provide the space for queer (people of color)
to share their stories and opinions, because their voices are the ones that are most ignored.” Richen, whose film has gained international recognition, will go on a screening tour across the South in the next month, Medina said. Richen added that though she has visited and screened this film at universities “much more conservative,” “religious” or “Christian” than Brown, she is content that it opened up conversations even in “those different spaces.” “I didn’t know that this was going to end up an activist film,” Richen said. “But I am happy it is able to foster conversations with people who may have different opinions… I’m very pleased about that.”
TODAY
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 • PAGE 9
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
s tat e o f t h e s t u d e n t s
SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Gourmet Grilled Cheese BLUE ROOM Mediterranean Pockets Soups: Hearty Country Vegetable, Tomato Florentine and Baked Potato ANDREWS COMMONS Pizzas, Baked Pastas, Paninis
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Swiss Broccoli Pasta, Vegan Baked Polenta, Cavatini, Sweet Potato Fries, Marble Squares LUNCH
Pork Spare Ribs, Mediterranean Orzo, Spicy Black Bean Vegan Patty, Vegan Lemon Rice
VERNEY-WOOLLEY
Chicken Fajitas, Mediterranean Eggplant Saute, Mexican Succotash, Italian Sausage
DINNER
Broccoli Quiche, Spaghetti Squash, Fingerling Potatoes, Washington Apple Cake
sudoku
BRITTANY COMUNALE / THE HERALD
Brown Democrats held a viewing of the State of the Union Tuesday night. President Obama addressed the majority-Republican Congress, speaking about the middle class, immigration, healthcare and ISIS.
comic P-Branes and Bosons | Ricky Oliver ’17
crossword
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calendar TODAY 8:00 A.M. COURSE REGISTRATION OPENS
Web registration for all class years will open for shopping period, which ends Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. Brown Banner 12:00-1:30 P.M. HAZARDOUS WASTE TRAINING
This session will provide training for anyone working in labs, studios, stock rooms or anywhere where chemicals or hazardous waste are present. 164 Angell Street, 4th Floor Conference Room 12:30-1:30 P.M. STRETCHING AT YOUR DESK: WELLNESS AT BROWN!
Certified Personal Trainer Chris Shipps will teach easy stretches you can do at your desk. 222 Richmond St., Room 280
TOMORROW 12:00-1:00 P.M. POGROMS, NETWORKS, AND MIGRATION: THE JEWISH MIGRATION FROM THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE TO THE UNITED STATES 1881– 1914
Yannay Spitzer will present his research as part of the Population Studies and Training Center’s Spring Colloquium Series. Mencoff Hall Seminar Room, 68 Waterman Street 6:30-8:30 P.M. OF[F] COURSE - THE 7TH ANNUAL BROWN-RISD DUAL DEGREE EXHIBITION
The exhibition’s Opening Night reception will feature artwork from Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program students, including sculptures, videos and live performances. Granoff Center for the Creative Arts
EDITORIAL
PAGE 10 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
EDITORIAL
Will Prohibition work at Brown? Brown has banned alcohol from being served at any residence hall parties or fraternity events. Russell Carey ’91 MA’06, executive vice president for planning and policy, and Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services, sent a campus-wide email Monday announcing the sanctions in response to two campus incidents that took place last semester. On Oct. 3 at Sigma Chi, a student was touched without consent, and on Oct. 17 at Phi Kappa Psi, two students were incapacitated with date-rape drugs and one reported being sexually assaulted. Sigma Chi may not recruit new members or hold social events until fall 2016. Phi Kappa Psi has lost University recognition for the next four years, which means the fraternity will no longer have on-campus housing. The email also announced a comprehensive review of the University’s alcohol policies in order “to promote a safer environment on campus.” We think this ban is a good idea, but this alone will not curtail sexual assault or improper behavior surrounding alcohol use. It will likely drive drinking underground, leading people to pre-game parties and get drunk quickly. It could also lead to a jump in reckless drinking and sexual assaults off-campus, which are much harder to police and prevent. At the same time, the ban demonstrates the University’s commitment to addressing the problem. The two events featured in Carey and Klawunn’s email are undoubtedly not the only instances of sexual assault on Brown’s campus last semester. As the University takes a hard look at the daunting task ahead, students, faculty members and administrators have an opportunity to discuss the culture created by current campus drinking practices and which environments exacerbate sexual misconduct. Alcohol is not the only issue at stake in these situations, but it often leads to poor communication and decision-making and unwanted sexual contact. Reneging on the ban would bring us back to where we were before, with people’s needs not being met, students feeling unsafe and insufficient emphasis being placed on personal and communal responsibility. There is also the question of how this policy will be enforced — another tall order. What will happen to students caught drinking at a party in a residence hall? What sort of disciplinary action will be taken? Will alcohol seizures follow? Questions like these will be answered with time. We are hopeful that Brown can build a campus environment that emphasizes and promotes socially responsible behavior, starting with protecting students from sexual assault at parties at fraternities and elsewhere. Ultimately, we hope the discussions that arise from the University’s recent decisions will get students to think hard. Because it is not an easy thing to think and act responsibly. We also endorse the vision of a campus drinking culture in which alcohol is not imbibed in excess and communication and respect are central to sexual encounters. Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editors, Alexander Kaplan ’15 and James Rattner ’15, and its members, Zoila Bergeron ’17, Natasha Bluth ’15, Manuel Contreras ’16, Baxter DiFabrizio ’15, Manuel Monti-Nussbaum ’15 and Katherine Pollock ’16. Send comments to editorials@ browndailyherald.com. Note: Kaplan and Rattner, both members of Sigma Chi, recused themselves from the writing and editing of this editorial.
Letters, please!
A N G E L IA WA N G
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Phi Psi says no member spiked drink To the Editor: Sexual assault has no place on our campus, and our hearts are with all survivors of sexual violence. Phi Kappa Psi does not condone the illegal possession, use or sale of drugs and supports the University’s efforts to ensure that students are not put at risk. Very serious questions arising from emerging scientific evidence remain about whether or not either of the women ingested GHB, and for these reasons, Phi Kappa
To the Editor: The Brown University Greek Council supports the University’s efforts to promote a safer environment on Brown’s campus, and we acknowledge that, as we move forward, the Greek community must continue to evolve to further this goal. Throughout the past semester our new Greek Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Policy Task Force held discussions on changes we as a community can make, and we are looking forward to taking action
— Katie Byron ’15
See task force on page 1.
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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015 • PAGE 11
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Ineffective policing ANDREW POWERS opinions columnist
Earlier this week, members of the Brown community received an email from Russell Carey ’91 MA’06, executive vice president for planning and policy, and Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services, detailing planned changes in campus policies regarding the provision of alcohol. This semester, no official events — in particular those sponsored by Greek and program houses — may have alcohol service within residence halls. Any events involving alcohol must now take place in specifically approved campus spaces and must have “appropriate security and safety measures,” according to the email. These changes follow a series of alleged incidents that occurred during the fall semester that raised concern about the safety of fraternity houses and the University’s commitment to preventing sexual assault. The vast majority of parties — including those where the alleged incidents mentioned in the email took place — are not University-sponsored. Rather, they are completely student-run and student-financed, sometimes with the help of alums. So I find myself skeptical that more
stringent regulation of registered events is anything more than a symbolic gesture. If anything, the University is primarily concerned with liability management. The real issue then seems to be the enforcement of existing policies, rather than the policies themselves. It might seem natural to suggest that the University should more effectively police drinking at unregistered parties and make sure that GHB and other date-rape drugs do not enter students’ drinks. Howev-
behind controlling student drinking. Regulation of alcohol consumption fosters a culture in which the abdication of personal responsibility for communal and personal becomes the norm. Nearly every Brown student is a legal adult and can make the informed choice to engage in risky behavior such as drinking. The fact that intoxication can be risky due to the maliciousness of others is an unfortunate reality. Preventing students from drinking on campus does not address this
sible drinking practices is making an empirical statement of fact, not a moral judgment. Prudential advice is not a condemnation of survivors of sexual assault. When the University wanted to combat student muggings and assaults, it didn’t ban travel after dark, but rather provided increased means of safe transportation. Similarly, it would seem that the response to the incidents of last semester should not aim to curb all student drinking, but rather to provide desirable environ-
I find myself skeptical that more stringent regulation of registered events is anything more than a symbolic gesture. If anything, the University is primarily concerned with liability management.
er, as I have argued previously, drug prohibition is demonstrably inefficient and often leads — even if unintentionally — to negative outcomes. Drugging others is certainly reprehensible, but attempting to outlaw all student drinking would neglect the real problem and unfairly penalize the entire student body. I take issue with the principles
maliciousness. To be perfectly clear, occurrences of sexual assault speak to the moral character of no one but the perpetrators. But it is important here to not conflate moral and causal responsibility, dismissing the above point as victim shaming. The claim isn’t that drinking in excess is evil so much as unwise. Advocating sen-
ments for such activities where safety can be the primary concern. It does not surprise me that both mentioned alleged incidents occurred at unregistered parties outside the purview of Department of Public Safety officers. Unfortunately, due to the University’s actions, drinking and predatory behavior are now even more likely to occur at such
parties, or even off campus where the University cannot possibly hope to monitor them. So what should the University do? As far as I can tell, there isn’t any obvious missing silver bullet. The bystander intervention workshops mentioned in the email along with increased transparency help to create a culture in which sexual assault is not passively accepted but actively opposed. In a similar vein, the University of Virginia has instituted a policy mandating that fraternities provide several “sober and lucid” members to monitor parties and create a safe environment. While this policy might be effective, I question the practice of holding entire groups responsible for the actions of a small, non-representative minority. Personally, I would support increased penalties for perpetrators. There should be no tolerance for or quarter given to those found guilty of sexual assault. However, it is critically important to remember that serious allegations always require serious evidence, and our standards of justice should not diminish under increasing pressure to find solutions to our problems.
Andrew Powers ’15 can be reached at andrew_powers@brown.edu.
The Oscars should matter for Brown students GABRIELLA CORVESE opinions columnist
At its core, Brown is a diverse community of creators. Plays, experiments, computer code — everyone here makes something. Though most of us create out of passion, it’s not selfish to expect recognition for work every once in a while. I’m sure Hollywood’s denizens feel similarly. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently announced the nominees for the 2015 Oscar Awards. Many of the Best Picture nominees also received nominations for Best Director, including Richard Linklater for “Boyhood,” Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for “Birdman” and Wes Anderson for “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” We can’t say the same for Ava DuVernay, the director of “Selma.” Though her Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic earned a Best Picture nomination, her name was curiously missing from the Best Director list. Had she been nominated, DuVernay would have been the first black female director to receive the honor. Likewise, there was no acting nomination for David Oyelowo, who plays King. The overall stats for this year’s Oscars are unsettling. Five Best Director nominees, all men. Twenty Actor and Actress nominees, all white. And who comprises the prestigious Academy itself? It is 77 percent male and 94 percent white. Full disclosure: I’ve yet to see “Selma,” but if the growing outrage from crit-
ics is any indication, DuVernay and Oyelowo’s exclusions are unacceptable. The snubs are startling to those fighting for equal representation in the film industry, and they should startle Brown students as well. Brown may lack a more traditional film program like those at New York University or University of Southern California, but there are plenty of devoted students behind rented cameras and deep in the editing labs crafting their own film education. I know from first-
Right now, the people making those films and pictured within them look awfully uncharacteristic of the society filling the theater seats. Rather than discourage us, the unfortunate Oscar spread should motivate us to challenge the status quo. This task may seem daunting, and an award show interruption — a la Kanye West shutting down Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards — would be more laughable than laudable. First, we must recognize our internal privi-
Rather than discourage us, the unfortunate Oscar spread should motivate us to challenge the status quo.
hand experience that the pool of aspiring filmmakers is not as homogeneous as the Academy would have us believe. We should not settle for an industry that refuses to recognize talented filmmakers just because they tell stories about characters other than white guys. I might not watch the Oscars Feb. 22 — potential homework or midterms aside, I don’t have cable — but that doesn’t mean I’ll ignore them. As superficial as the star-studded, red-carpeted event may seem, it’s responsible for establishing our cultural canon, the list of films a cinephile should consider to be the best.
leges and biases that might affect what we consume and how we feel. Snubs like those faced by the cast and crew of “Selma” stem from much more than intentional ostracism. Ultimately, we must create. We must learn from as many people as we can, not just those whose faces appear most often on our screens. And what about those who won’t be shooting, producing or starring in a film? Engage with the work of your peers. Watch and listen to stories outside of blockbuster scripts. Maybe some of us will even be members of the Academy some day — all reasons to try to succeed
where they failed. Even if our names don’t end up in lights, our creations can still have influence. The depictions in “Selma” of fights for justice chillingly mirror the ongoing #BlackLivesMatter protests across the nation. The movie inspired community events such as a private screening hosted in early January by the Providence branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Rhode Island Coalition of 100 Black Women. And in New York, 27,000 tickets were made available for middle and high school students to see the film for free. “Selma” is important. Cinema is important. That being said, our university is no revolutionary utopia free of all forms of discrimination. An illusion of pure meritocracy masks the barriers faced by many students at the end of high school, raising questions about the fairness of our accepted student body. In December, The Herald reported on racism at Brown, documenting experiences of prejudice that affect students, staff members and faculty members despite our school’s welcoming progressive aura. Brown’s community is not perfect, so we all must become aware of problems inside and out in order to evoke necessary change. “Selma” is currently playing at the Providence Place Cinema downtown. Instead of taking your friends out for drinks this weekend, perhaps a movie night is due.
Gabriella Corvese ‘15 is a former Opinions editor and can be reached at gabriella_corvese@brown.edu.
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
ARTS & CULTURE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015
BRITTANY COMMUNALE / HERALD
City Gyro was one of three food trucks on Thayer Street asked to relocate by the Providence Police Dec. 17, following a complaint that they were illegally parked in metered spaces.
Mama Kim’s ceases daytime Thayer St. operations Food truck leaves College Hill area following altercation with Providence Police officers By MAGGIE LIVINGSTONE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Mama Kim’s Korean BBQ, a food truck mainstay on Thayer Street, will no longer operate along its normal route in 2015, wrote CEO Don Fecher in an email to The Herald. The business, which was founded by Hyun Kim ’01 and his mother, may have some evening hours on weekends but its future in the area is uncertain, Fecher wrote. Fecher decided to cease operations following a Dec. 17 altercation in which Providence Police officers
threatened his staff and his company. The officers told Fecher he could face “arrest, tickets and towing” of the truck, he wrote. Plouf Plouf Gastronomie, a French cuisine truck that normally operates on Thayer, tweeted Dec. 17 that food trucks in the area were “harassed and intimidated into fleeing” by Providence Police officers. But Providence Police Lt. John Ryan said officers responded to a complaint from the local Hope Street Merchants Association that the trucks were parked in metered spaces, which is illegal according to the area’s zoning ordinances. Officers asked Mama Kim’s, Plouf Plouf and the City Gyro food truck to relocate their vehicles, Ryan said. At Mama Kim’s specifically, officers observed that the truck did not have
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a visible peddler’s license, which is a requirement for food vendors. Ryan said the incidents will lead to hearings in February for all three food trucks before the city’s Board of Licenses. Penalties resulting from these hearings can include fines or prohibition from vending food until acquisition of proper peddler’s licenses. If a truck accumulates a certain number of violations, it may be shut down, Ryan added. Fecher wrote that this type of treatment from the police was uncommon, adding that he usually does not “feel specifically targeted” by officers. Ryan said while he does have an officer who normally patrols the area for violations, security has not increased since the December incident.
HERALD FILE PHOTO
Providence Police officers found Mama Kim’s Korean BBQ, a food truck founded by Hyun Kim ’01 and his mother, to lack a visible peddler’s license.