SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
VOLUME CL, ISSUE 12
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Undergrads to participate in Corporation meeting Corporation members, students to discuss sexual assault, mental health in group discussions By CAROLINE KELLY UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
For the first time in University history, the Corporation’s February meeting this weekend will feature small group discussions with undergraduates about campus issues, in addition to the normal vote on the budget and tuition and fees, said Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell Carey ’91 MA’06. Undergraduate Council of Students President Maahika Srinivasan ’15 and Alex Drechsler ’15 will also present proposals to the Corporation Friday on how to increase its engagement with the student body, Srinivasan and Drechsler said. The Corporation meets three times a year: in February, October and May. Its February meeting will kick off Thursday with committee meetings, continue Friday with more committee meetings and the presentation by Srinivasan and
Drechsler and conclude Saturday. The opportunity for Srinivasan and Drechsler to speak arose after Drechsler called for the Corporation to add a voting undergraduate representative as part of the Student Power Initiative. “That was not something the Corporation was comfortable with right now, so we spent a couple months thinking about what are different interim steps that we could take to increase communication … between students and the Corporation,” Drechsler said. Srinivasan, along with other UCS members, helped draft a proposal in November to identify three potential alternatives to having a student representative that would still facilitate student engagement in Corporation affairs. “We wanted to make a proposal for measures that would really build trusting relationships between the student body and Corporation members,” she said. The first alternative was to make small group discussions between students and Corporation members a permanent part of the Corporation meeting schedule, she said. The first of these focus groups will be piloted Thursday. One » See CORP, page 4
Proposed bill would ban use of plastic bags
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
Undergraduate Council of Students President Maahika Srinivasan ’15 presents to council members at the UCS general body meeting Wednesday night.
UCS, admins discuss interim alcohol policy Klawunn, Shiner, Tompkins address issues surrounding alcohol on campus By NATALIE FONDRIEST SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services Margaret Klawunn fielded questions and concerns about the University’s interim alcohol policy
and the clarification email sent Friday at the Undergraduate Council of Students general body meeting Wednesday. Tim Shiner, director of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center and student activities, and Kate Tompkins, assistant director of Residential Life also responded to inquiries. In response to enforcement concerns raised by UCS Academic and Administrative Affairs Chair Elena Saltzman ’16, Klawunn said Residential Peer Leaders and the Department of Public Safety
Bullying, mental illness related, U. study finds
ABUNDANT AC TIVITIES
Study reveals pattern of mental illness in children who bully, points to need for new perspective
Bill stresses economic, environmental benefits of eliminating plastic shopping bags
By KHIN SU STAFF WRITER
By ANICA GREEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Rhode Island may soon be among the first states in the country to ban the use of disposable plastic checkout bags at retail establishments. If passed, the bill would require large-scale retailers with total annual retail sales of at least $5 million to stop using plastic checkout bags by Jan. 1, 2016. Smaller retailers would have an additional year to comply with the new law. The ban’s primary aim is to cut down on the amount of plastic that pollutes Narragansett Bay, according to a Jan. 26 General Assembly press
METRO
INSIDE
Children with mental health disorders — particularly depression, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — are three times more likely to be identified as a bully, according to a recent study by University researchers in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. The study shows that nearly 30 percent of children with mental health disorders bully other children, and over 30 percent of bullies have mental health disorders. This study presents a new take on the discourse on bullying, which often focuses on the victims’ emotional and » See BULLYING, page 4
SCIENCE & RESEARCH
ASHLEY SO / HERALD
Students crowd Alumnae Hall for the Mid-Year Activities Fair. More than 150 groups engaged students and encouraged them to join with candy and pamphlets.
release. “Plastic trash is nearly permanent and causes known and unknown harm to marine ecosystems in particular,” said Mara Freilich ’15, former director of the student environmental group emPOWER, adding that she supports the bill.
Plastic bags, which can take hundreds of years to decompose, are frequently mistaken for food by marine wildlife and can be fatal if ingested, according to the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority. The degradation of plastics can also release harmful chemicals into the
environment, according to the NTEPA. Preserving the state’s marine ecosystems may not only maintain natural beauty but could also have economic benefits. “Our greatest asset as a state is our location, and we depend upon our shoreline and waters to provide us » See PLASTIC, page 2
WEATHER
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
SCIENCE & RESEARCH Ability to choose own classes strengthens education, increases motivation PAGE 3
received no new instructions besides “the same set of protocols that we had in place” before the interim alcohol policy’s implementation. “We’re hoping to improve the policies that we have,” Klawunn said, adding that the interim alcohol policy is part of a broader and more public conversation on campus safety. Shiner said it is important for the University to review its policies “as a matter of course,” adding that the last major » See UCS, page 2
POST- MAGAZINE
COMMENTARY Makhlouf ’16: ROTC programs should be banned from Brown’s campus
COMMENTARY Corvese ’15: U.’s alcohol ban may not be effective in combatting campus sexual assault
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PAGE 2 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Spotlight on the Statehouse BY ALEXANDER BLUM, METRO EDITOR
New Year, new session, new ideas With the General Assembly session in full swing, representatives are submitting new bills every day. It is the third or fourth time that some bills — such as one proposal to offer tax credits on student loan payments — are being introduced for consideration. Diverse in nature, the bills include Sen. Frank Lombardi’s, D-Cranston, proposal to eliminate a $60 fee on the renewal of vanity license plates and Rep. Joseph McNamara’s, D-Warwick and Cranston, call for the passage of a “Right to Try” law that would allow terminally ill patients to use experimental drugs. Rep. David Bennett, D-Warwick and Cranston, has proposed raising the minimum wage to $10 in January 2016 — a $1 increase over the state’s $9 minimum wage implemented last month.
Raimondo strengthens U. connection to I-195 Commission
SADIE HOPE-GUND / HERALD
Littered plastic shopping bags cause damage to marine life, one of Rhode Island’s key tourist attractions. The proposed bill to ban plastic bags aims to decrease the economic and environmental effects of this form of waste.
» PLASTIC, from page 1 with tourist and industrial dollars,” said Rep. Gregg Amore, D-East Providence, who introduced the legislation. “Any initiative that preserves and protects this asset should be looked upon as a pro-business economic initiative.” While tourist dollars bring revenue to the state, it remains unclear how the ban would affect retailers and plastic bag producers in Rhode Island. Amore said he hopes to work with stakeholders to ease the burden and inconvenience of implementing a ban on an everyday item. Employees and managers of local businesses expressed little concern over the proposed ban.
» UCS, from page 1 review of sexual assault policy came in 2006 following a major case. “The difference is not that we’re talking about it, but frankly that you’re paying attention,” he said, regarding the student body. Concern surfaced at the meeting over the interim alcohol policy’s stipulation that student groups hold registered large scale events with alcohol service
“Some people will complain; some people will love it; it will be polarizing,” said Elizabeth Root, manager of Second Time Around, a used clothing store on Thayer Street. “But I can’t imagine it will affect business very much. People are going to shop no matter what.” Many retailers may respond to the ban by selling reusable totes, Root added. “I personally don’t think it will have much of an effect,” said Patrick Morello, a store manager at the CVS on Thayer Street. “The same thing happened at a store in (Washington, D.C.) and people were mad at first, but it wasn’t a big deal.” This marks the third time that a statewide bag ban has been proposed.
Past bills have failed to make it to a floor vote. The bill has traction in the House, with the support of Rep. John Edwards, D-Portsmouth and Tiverton, the majority whip, “so it will at least be on the leadership’s radar,” Amore said. “Bans on plastic bags have proven to be non-controversial in towns across the U.S. and at the national level in other countries, so approving the ban should be an easy choice for the Rhode Island legislature,” Freilich said. If the bill passes, Rhode Island towns will join more than 100 other municipalities across the country that have already enacted similar legislation. In 2012, Barrington passed a citywide ban on plastic bags.
in approved campus spaces. Justice Gaines ’16, a UCS general body member, said this mandate could discourage students from reporting sexual misconduct incidents if they thought an organization could be “just as culpable as the individual.” Registration policies are intended to protect organizations’ liability as well as individual safety, Shiner said. Tompkins said she does not anticipate
a dip in the number of students joining Greek and program housing, as the rush process has always been dry. Sorority rush numbers are already up this year, she added. Klawunn said the interim alcohol policy is “really not about image,” but rather about the personal safety of students on and off campus. UCS Admissions and Student Services Chair Ryan Lessing ’17 introduced the
Following last week’s resignation of Colin Kane from the post of chair of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, Gov. Gina Raimondo selected six nominees — including Brown’s Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Beppie Huidekoper — to replace all but one of the commission’s current members, multiple news outlets reported. “We’re focused on expanding opportunity and creating jobs for Rhode Island families, and the 195 land can be a key lever to attract businesses and boost economic growth,” Raimondo said in a statement, adding that she is grateful for the work of the commission’s previous members.
Gist to leave Ocean State, return home After serving as Rhode Island’s education commissioner for the last six years, Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist will leave her post to become superintendent of public schools in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after allowing for a transitional period. The district’s four-month search concluded with the selection of Gist, who was the only nominee for the job in Tulsa after the other finalist withdrew from consideration Jan. 29. While Gist’s tenure coincided with falling high school dropout rates and higher graduation rates in Rhode Island, some perceive her as an aggressive proponent of high-stakes testing, the Tulsa World reported Feb. 3. Nearly two dozen teachers walked out of the school board’s meeting just before they voted to nominate Gist as the next superintendent.
general body to WTF Brown, or “What to Fix Brown,” the council’s new online feedback forum on the UCS website and Facebook page, where undergraduates can post or vote on suggestions for campus improvements and see progress updates on those ideas from UCS. The platform has already seen student suggestions such as replacing electric dryers with paper towels in bathrooms and building swings on the Main Green. To ensure user accountability, the platform is “very explicitly not anonymous,” Lessing said. Students must log in through their Brown accounts before posting and voting. They can vote for a single post up to three times, and ideally they will make concrete suggestions, Lessing added. Members of the UCS Executive Board updated the general body on each committee’s progress this week. In anticipation of meeting with
Provost Vicki Colvin later this month, the UCS Campus Life Committee is preparing to present dining feedback, focusing on the Sharpe Refractory in light of a recent Herald editorial (“Editorial: Imagine Ratty 250+,” Feb. 3), said Walker Mills ’15, the committee chair and a former Herald opinions columnist. Mills added that he hopes to meet with Senior Associate Dean of Residential Life and Dining Services Richard Bova to discern how they can best support the increase of students in temporary housing this semester. The UCS Outreach and Advocacy Committee met Tuesday to debrief on student reception of the new partnerships with ROTC units at the College of the Holy Cross that passed by a faculty vote Tuesday, particularly focusing on transgender inclusion, said Sazzy Gourley ’16, UCS vice president and chair of the committee.
SCIENCE & RESEARCH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Paper examines social Making the most of shopping period cognition, human interaction Strong advising, intrinsic Human social, emotional interactions affect mental processes such as memory, attention, learning By ELENA WEISSMANN STAFF WRITER
A paper authored by University researchers and published in this month’s issue of the journal Cognition examines the relationship between social psychology and cognition. “Although social psychology has been studying cognitive processing for about 50 years, there are still a lot of questions about the place of social cognition within the field,” said Joanna Korman GS, the lead author of the paper. “We want to know how information processing and perception of other people and of one’s own attitude actually relate to the broader goals of cognition research,” she added. The paper attempts to explain how individuals use cognitive processes to infer the mental states of others and how social interactions impact processes such as language acquisition, attention, learning and memory. Social cognition can be defined as “all the tools ‘in the head’ that enable people to understand other people and successfully interact with them,” Bertram Malle, professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences and senior author of the paper, wrote in an email to The Herald. “These tools include imitating others, teaching and learning from others, communicating in a rich representational language and coordinating joint action to achieve complex goals, such as crossing an ocean, building pyramids and developing laws and governments,” he added. But how do humans manage to infer each others’ mental states? According to the paper, humans “are keenly sensitive to a vast and fast-moving stream of information,” including a “partner’s facial expressions, gestures, contact with objects, tone of voice, choice of words and so on.” The act of participating in complicated social interactions represents “one of the greatest achievements of human cognition,” the researchers found. Though humans develop cognitive tools to communicate, the communication itself can also affect cognition. One example of its influence can be
found within language acquisition, Korman said. “If you’re a later-born child, you have greater conversational skills because you’re exposed to a greater amount of language. For instance, you might use personal pronouns earlier. So language acquisition is not a static thing — it’s very much a social thing,” she said. Social processes can also affect memory and learning. “In the domain of memory, research shows that people are more likely to retain information if they discuss it with others,” according to the paper. “People better understand and retain information that they receive through direct communication rather than by overhearing it.” Social cognition research can be helpful to society in many ways, Malle wrote. For example, when people make mistakes in guessing the emotions and thoughts of others, “the dark side of homo sapiens comes to light: misunderstandings and conflict, prejudice and discrimination, violence and suppression,” Malle wrote. “In light of all that, it seems pretty important to conduct research to understand when and why such mental state inferences are accurate or inaccurate, socially constructive or destructive,” he wrote. Qi Wang, professor of human development at Cornell University, said she believes there will be abundant future research on the influence of social networking on social cognition. “It would be very interesting to find out how the Internet changes the way we interact in our groups and our relationships. Technology that has recently emerged in our society is clearly changing the way we communicate,” she said. The future of social cognition research may also include the application of computational models, robots and neuroscience, according to the paper. Despite advances in the social cognition field, it is difficult to study human interactions because there are multiple uncontrolled variables. Another person’s appearance, voice and body language can all alter one’s responses, Korman said. “This is why robotics may play a role in future research — with robots, you can control for these variables,” Korman added.“You can build a robot that has specific features and you can see which features turn on which social processes, and that’s a very powerful thing.”
www.browndailyherald.com
motivation important when navigating abundance of classes By FRANCES CHEN AND ANDREW JONES
SENIOR STAFF WRITER AND SCIENCE & RESEARCH EDITOR
As shopping period came to a close Wednesday evening, so ended a twoweek span of myriad educational choices for students — choices that can be both empowering and overwhelming. While the open curriculum affords a unique type of academic liberty to students, the underlying empirical merits and drawbacks of free-choice learning are often forgotten amidst the bustle of shopping period. “It puts students in a position where they really have to think about their educational goals and interests,” said Professor of English William Keach. Students change a lot in their first years at college, and Brown’s curricular structure gives them the freedom to act on these changes, he added. John Falk, professor of free-choice learning at Oregon State University, said there have been few studies on liberal education because in most studies, students do not get to choose what they learn. “A key variable that has often been neglected in terms of learning is motivation,” Falk said. Research studies that examine the outcome of college education styles typically include biased participants — students who have an inherent incentive to succeed in school and earn their degrees, he added. These biases preclude researchers from rigorously studying how personal motivation factors into a student’s education. Intrinsic motivation — the internal desire to do something because it brings pleasure — can be more effective than
NEILLY TAN / HERALD
extrinsic motivation, which is driven by external rewards such as money or grades, Falk added. Intrinsic motivation is particularly vital for Brown students navigating an educational model like the open curriculum, he added. “By giving them that choice, it increases the likelihood that (education) is meaningful to them,” Falk said. Though choosing classes during shopping period may be stressful, the decision-making process is beneficial to students in the long run, said Matthew Kraft, assistant professor of education. Free choice in college gives students a sense of independence that will benefit them after graduation, he added. Everyday schoolwork may not be the most important benefit of college, Falk said. “There’s plenty of research that shows people can learn things to take tests, but years down the road they virtually remember nothing,” he said.
“Creating situations where people can bring their own interests and their own needs to the learning process turns out to be really important,” he added. Individuals who have an interest in a topic are more likely to be motivated learners — they are more likely to seek out challenges, use efficient learning strategies and respond effectively to feedback, Falk said. But while a student’s drive is a vital ingredient in the free-learning concoction, it cannot sustain a student’s education in itself, Kraft said. It is “less about the type of student and more about high-quality advising,” he added. “A key step is for students to have full access to information pertaining to the decision-making,” wrote Kenneth Wong, professor of education and chair of the department, in an email to The Herald. Peer advising, faculty mentoring and academic fairs are productive ways to support students, he added.
SCIENCE & RESEARCH PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
» BULLYING, from page 1 psychological trauma rather than the bullies’ mental health. Frances Turcotte-Benedict, assistant professor of emergency medicine and lead author of the study, noticed that many youth in the emergency room suffered from depression, anxiety, chronic headaches and abdominal pain as a result of bullying, she wrote in an email to The Herald. She also observed “that some of those who admitted to bullying others suffered from mental health disorders.” The study used data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health to assess a total of 63,997 children ages six to 17, in which both parents and children reported whether the child never, rarely, sometimes, usually or always bullies or is cruel or mean to others. Mental health data from the survey also documented whether a doctor or health care provider ever diagnosed the child with depression, ADHD or anxiety. The researchers chose these three mental health disorders because they are the most common in children, but “it is quite possible that other mental health disorders could be associated with being a bully,” Turcotte-Benedict wrote. Depression and anxiety are associated with increased aggression, and children who are diagnosed with these mental health disorders can have a “certain way of perceiving the world and interpreting and responding to interpersonal relationships,” said Megan Ranney, assistant professor of
» CORP, from page 1 meeting will focus on issues of sexual assault and the other on mental health, with each group featuring about 10 students and 14 Corporation members, Srinivasan said. Sign-ups will be sent out in Morning Mail and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, she added. The second alternative, which has not been implemented, was to have student representatives from University committees sit in on Corporation committee meetings, Drechsler said.
SOYOON KIM / HERALD
emergency medicine and health services, policy and practice, who was not involved in the study. Post-traumatic stress disorder is also commonly linked with bullying, Ranney added. Though the study does not explain whether bullying is a cause or a result of mental heath issues, it does highlight that “regardless of which came first …
we need to provide both victims and perpetrators of bullying with mental health support,” Turcotte-Benedict wrote. Both Turcotte-Benedict and Ranney said that follow-up longitudinal studies looking at the relationship between bullying and mental health could provide further insight into
causation. The results of this study promote ongoing efforts to restructure the foundations of anti-bullying programs, which often lack support for bullies, Turcotte-Benedict wrote. “We can make all the anti-bullying programs we want, but unless we acknowledge that bullies are also in need of support, we
will never solve this dynamic problem.” “Instead of pointing a finger and blaming ‘the bad kid,’ we need to understand why a child decides to bully another child,” she added. Better coping skills and mental health screenings could help tackle the underlying issues identified by the study, Ranney said.
“Having students who are … already held to high standards of professionalism and confidentiality … in our committee meetings is very important,” he said. This proposal will ideally be piloted at the next Corporation meeting in May, he added. The third alternative involves formalizing approval of the young alumni position on the Corporation, Drechsler said. Alison Cohen ’09, whose term is set to expire in May, currently occupies the three-year position. Though it might be a long-term goal, Srinivasan
and Drechsler will express to Corporation members “that the young alumni position is important, that it needs to be codified and that it needs to involve students,” Drechsler said. To ensure student input in selection of the young alumni trustee, applicants could be drawn from the President’s Leadership Council, Srinivasan said. UCS officials currently appoint an undergraduate who will soon graduate to serve on the PLC the following year, and the young alumni trustee could be selected from those appointees to
“create a pipeline” of candidates for the position, Srinivasan said. Young alumni trustees chosen through this process would likely possess relevant experience and “be more connected to the student body,” she said. Student engagement will be a major part of the meeting, Carey said. At past February Corporation meetings, the Corporation’s Committee on Campus Life has held meetings centered on campus issues with undergraduates over breakfast, he said. But at this weekend’s meeting, the Corporation will play a
more “proactive” role in trying to respond to priorities identified by UCS and the student body, he said. Budget issues, including decisions on tuition and fees, are traditionally determined at the February meeting. “The Corporation receives the report of the University Resources Committee and receives recommendations from the president associated with that report,” which then “gets discussed at the Budget and Finance Committee and then acted on by the full Corporation,” Carey said. The design of a new engineering building, the current construction of an applied math building and improvements to performing arts spaces will also be discussed, Carey said. Regarding President Christina Paxson’s P’19 capital campaign, “individual committees have specific agendas related to advancements and ongoing fundraising in association with the strategic plan,” he said. The Corporation will also likely discuss the University’s progress on addressing its $8.7 million operating budget deficit for fiscal year 2014, Carey said. “It’s been very publicly discussed that the University is dealing with a structural deficit … so certainly that’s something that the University has been every engaged in and actively working with the administration and the campus as a whole to address.” The Corporation’s Committee on Campus Life and the general Corporation body will aim to continue discussing issues of sexual assault in light of the interim report released by the Task Force on Sexual Assault, of which Carey is a member. “It’s something that students I know have been very concerned about, as are members of the administration, so that seems like a timely topic for discussion,” Carey added.
COURTESY OF ALEX DRECHSLER
Alex Dreschler ’15 will present a proposal to the Corporation to increase student involvement in the University’s highest governing body.
COURTESY OF MAAHIKA SRINIVASAN
UCS President Maahika Srinivasan ’15 drafted a proposal in November for ways to engage undergraduates in Corporation affairs.
TODAY
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
out on a limb
SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Mashed Potato Bowl BLUE ROOM Mediterranean Pocket Soups: Chicken Artichoke Florentine, Fire Roasted Vegetable, Turkey Chili ANDREWS COMMONS Pizza: Nacho, Pepperoni and Sausage, Okie Dokie Artichokie
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Vegan California Veggie Stew, Wisconsin Ziti with Four Cheeses, Mashed Potatoes
Red Potato Frittata, Baked Chicken, Beef Stew, Fresh Vegetable Melange, Yellow Cake
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Turkey Sandwich with Gravy, Swiss Broccoli Pasta, Vegan Chana Masala, Fudge Bars
Chicken Fried Steak, Risotto Primavera, Malibu Blend Vegetables, Moo Shu Tofu
sudoku
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
Resident tree climber Elliot Grossman ’17 reaches new heights with the help of high snowbanks. Grossman can be spotted wearing summer attire in all weather conditions while exploring the nature on campus.
comics Horse of Any Other Name | Zach Silberberg
crossword
Ampersand | Wasita Mahaphanit ‘18
calendar TODAY 12:00 P.M. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CUBAN FICTION
The panel will feature five Cuban writers: Ahmel Echevarria, Jorge Enrique Lage, Lizabeth Monica, Osdany Morales and Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo. McCormack Family Theater 7:30 P.M. RILED UP AND WASTED ON LIGHT FT. BUDDY WAKEFIELD
Individual World Poetry Slam winner Buddy Wakefield will present spoken word poetry. Salomon 001
TOMORROW 1:00 P.M. UTRA CLINIC
Camisia Glasgow, peer coordinator for fellowships, internships and research experience at the Curricular Resource Center, will offer students advice on Undergraduate Research and Teaching Awards. Faunce 228 5:00 P.M. THE HARBERS STORYTELLING PROJECT
Vine star Jerome Jarre, CEO and cofounder of Nantucket Nectars Tom Scott ’89 and filmmaker Casey Neistat will discuss storytelling and entrepreneurship. Salomon 001 7:00 P.M. DANCING WITH THE PROFESSORS
8:00 P.M. “FRESH OFF THE BOAT” SCREENING
The first few episodes of the new sitcom about the life of Asian immigrants in suburban Orlando will be shown. Metcalf Auditorium
After a semester of intensive training with the Brown Ballroom Dance Team, eight professors and their dance partners will perform and compete for eternal glory. Alumnae Hall
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
EDITORIAL
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Amazon and a community commitment
Diversity in hiring conflated with subjectivity
On Tuesday, Amazon announced the opening of its first brick-and-mortar retailer on a college campus. The store at Purdue University offers free one-day shipping on course materials, as well as in-person exchanges and 24-hour pickup. But it is unclear whether the expansion represents a helpful service to students or a disaster for local retailers. Amazon’s expansion, with additional stores slated to open soon at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of California Davis, threatens the model of college bookstores that has existed for decades. It promises both convenience and huge savings for students who currently spend more than $1,200 annually on textbooks. James Sheehan, vice chancellor for administration and finance at UMass Amherst, estimates students would save $380 annually by buying books through Amazon, he told the Wall Street Journal Feb. 1. The service is also appealing to universities, as it would cut operating costs and pay a portion of the sales — 0.5 to 2.5 percent — back to the school. But its effect on local businesses is less spectacular. The threat of online retail to stores is not new. In 2013, e-commerce sales represented 5.8 percent of total retail revenue in the United States. But not including food, automobiles and fuel, that number is 8.8 percent and growing. As shipping becomes faster and cheaper and retail rents more expensive, it’s possible to imagine a day when the only storefronts are for establishments such as barbershops and restaurants. This is not to say that we should fight that transformation. The debate over technological advancement has been waged since the Industrial Revolution, and most agree that ATMs are better than bank tellers. Some would also argue that the loss of jobs at local retailers is offset by the increased hiring at Amazon processing plants and more UPS truck drivers. Yet the issue of online retail is not only about the net jobs, but also the type of community in which we want to study and live. Should we turn our backs on local retailers because Amazon will potentially hire more employees at its Stoughton, Massachusetts Fulfillment Center? In small cities like Providence, the impact of Amazon Student — particularly when it is accompanied by a store — is significant. With two-day shipping for subscribers who pay $49 annually, the website has undoubtedly robbed Thayer Street of significant revenue from Brown students. First-years living in Keeney Quadrangle likely find it easier and cheaper to order toothpaste online and pick it up at J. Walter Wilson than to walk to Metro Mart. Additionally, most of Brown’s 9,000 students spend money in this city of 175,000, and an additional 5,000 full-time Brown employees spend money while working for the city’s second-largest employer. The University’s economic effect on Providence, and especially on College Hill, is sizable. Brown students spend more than the average American on books — roughly $1,420 annually as estimated by the University. We have seen the struggle by the Brown Bookstore to estimate course enrollment, as the store often underestimates and leaves students to order materials online. The benefits to outsourcing this task are clear. But the difficult calculation has to be made as to whether the savings and convenience compare to potentially deleterious effects for Thayer Street. Further diverting our spending away from Providence spells likely closure for the small, independent stores such as Metro Mart, Pie in the Sky and A Pleasant Surprise. We may decide that we prefer the savings and will take a chance, hoping the convenience stores and gift shops either survive or are replaced by more useful businesses. But before we take that risk, let’s consider the potential harmful consequences for the community establishments that contribute to the life and character of Brown.
To the Editor:
of the President to enhance the diversity of the faculty. On the separate issue of decisions about tenure, promotion and reappointment, the committee reported that it sees a benefit in having precise standards and criteria, and it urges departments to determine whether candidates meet their standards, instead of expecting that they surpass those standards. The question of what constitutes surpassing is ill-defined and adds a higher level of subjectivity to decision-making.
An article in the Feb. 4 issue of The Herald, “Faculty endorses tie to Holy Cross ROTC program,” significantly misrepresented the report to the faculty by the Committee on Faculty Equity and Diversity. By linking “high expectations for diversity in hiring practices” and “a new element of subjectivity” in decision making, the article conflated separate matters addressed in the report. The written and verbal report actually stated that CFED looks forward to a closer working relationship with the Office
Nancy Jacobs and Chung-I Tan Associate professor of history and professor of physics
CORRECTION An article in Wednesday’s Herald (“Grad students rally for quality of life,” Feb. 4) incorrectly stated that Provost Vicki Colvin attended a Stand Up for Grad Students meeting to discuss dental care last semester. In fact, she attended a Graduate Student Council meeting. The Herald regrets the error.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
““There’s plenty of research that shows people can learn things to take tests, but years down the road they
”
virtually remember nothing.
— John Falk, professor of free-choice learning at Oregon State University
See shopping period on page 3.
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.
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COMMENTARY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
ROTC: Return of the criminals PETER MAKHLOUF opinions columnist
A November 2014 Herald article described the lack of military support on Brown’s campus. The article outlined how students considering careers in the military and participating in ROTC programs on campus feel marginalized by “the anti-military — and even hostile — stigma attached to ‘schools like Brown.’” Students anticipating careers in the armed forces outlined ROTC as one of their central concerns, and while ROTC is only one facet of military presence on campus, it is undoubtedly one of the most important. On Tuesday, the faculty endorsed a resolution to create a partnership between Brown’s campus and the Navy and Air Force ROTC programs. Brown has a rich “anti-military,” anti-war history — said with pride. But is our campus today as anti-war as it once was, or are we losing a certain aspect of our past? It’s a bit disillusioned to think that Brown students should be exposed to every potential career — even more unthinkable to assume that they should be exposed to all potential military careers. The field of military technology — including “military science” — is a field unlike any other. Reports of police units in Ferguson, New York and Berkeley, where the police have committed criminal acts against protesters, have shown the deleterious effects of increasing funding and intellectual manpower in the military sciences. The overflow of military technology and funding has spilled into our police departments, which are now
equipped with tanks, tear gas, riot gear and military grade weapons that can incapacitate crowds with deafening sound waves or pain-inducing electromagnetic waves. This says nothing about the prevalence of military technology dooming civilian populations from Afghanistan and Palestine to the favelas of Brazil and beyond — all of which have been subject to the glorious innovations of “military science.” Let us at least be honest enough to do away with euphemism. This is not science; this is the art of killing and tor-
tain students have is a firmly grounded ethical stance — an insistence that we will not support the aggression of the United States throughout the world. At a time when we most need a brave intelligentsia to speak out against the craven acts of U.S. imperialism, the thought of extending the poisonous branches of the armed services to our campus should be wholly denounced. And yet I question whether that legacy of opposition lives on today. The anti-war movement at Brown has dwindled over time. The flame of resis-
partnerships with ROTC programs and the availability of scholarships for ROTC students, further illuminating the chasm between liberal ideology and military opposition. The real clash, it seems, is between those who support the policies of the U.S. military and those who refuse to allow their presence on our campus. Positing this as something akin to a liberal vs. conservative dialectic is an attempt to make anti-war activists out to be fashionable liberals rather than consistently conscientious students.
At a time when we most need a brave intelligentsia to speak out against the craven acts of U.S. imperialism, the thought of extending the poisonous branches of the armed services to our campus should be wholly denounced. turing. It seems that ROTC’s attempt to recruit academically elite students is a calculated attempt to rope the best and brightest into the industry of state-sanctioned violence. By outlawing ROTC and its byproducts on our campus, we have the opportunity to maintain and strengthen a tradition of refusing to capitulate to the increasing demands of military engagement in today’s global agenda. Half of the battle — pun definitely intended — involves doing away with systems of indoctrination on our campus that classes such as ROTC would offer. ROTC aside, normalizing a militant ethos on our campus through programming and information sessions would invalidate Brown’s status as a bastion of military opposition and anti-intervention sentiment. The anti-military “bias” that cer-
tance has been taken up by the waning number of true leftist activists remaining on our campus. The majority of “liberals” on campus tend to be socially liberal centrists who thrive on affective showings of liberalism. In a 2011 Herald poll, over 80 percent of faculty members who have been at Brown more than 20 years reported a dwindling number of student activists. Further, it is not the case — as Matthew Ricci ’15, president of the Resumed Undergraduate Education Association, intimated in a 2014 Herald article — that there is a clash between a conservative military and a liberal campus. The majority of “liberal” students on campus are too disengaged from international and domestic policies to take an insistent stance against the military. And our liberal faculty had no qualms in approving further
And despite the claim by both Walker Mills ’15 and Professor of Biology Kenneth Miller ’70 P’02 that effective change requires on an influx of liberals and their values into the military, it is not liberals’ duty to change an army with an epidemic of sexual assault, LGBT prejudice and war crimes. And are we really foolish enough to think that liberal ideology would change these entrenched abuses? Admittedly, Brown is more active than most schools, though the overwhelmingly centrist nature of our campus’ political discourse should be further reason for opposing military presence. The push for normalizing militarism on our campus needs to be opposed because Brown students are so often unsure of their political leanings. Students and faculty alike often oppose the armed services on such isolated in-
cidents as “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” but a far more fundamental stance needs to be taken. Both during Ruth Simmons’ time here and during Tuesday’s vote on new ROTC partnerships, the central issue regarding opposition was the barring of transgender individuals, as if that were the most egregious offence committed by the armed forces. I and others firmly take an anti-interventionist, anti-war posture. Moreover, those who oppose military presence on university campuses are wholly aware that the issue extends beyond those planning a career in the military. Ivy League graduates will take up positions in all facets of society that the military relies on for support. From soldiers to senators and politicians to professors, the destructive foreign policy of the state is dependent upon the ideological backing of its citizens — particularly those in positions of power. Opposing indoctrination in the form of military support is a necessary part of thwarting public backing for such policies. This past week, Code Pink, a women-initiated, grassroots anti-war movement, protested the testimony of Henry Kissinger at a Senate hearing, insisting that he be tried for war crimes. It was once, in 1969, when members of our senior class chose to stand up and turn their backs towards the University and Kissinger as he was awarded an honorary degree for his criminal foreign policy in Indochina. Perhaps, once more, our campus can take up that proud tradition of resistance and refuse to support glorified, state-sponsored killing.
Peter Makhlouf ’16 can be contacted at peter_makhlouf@brown.edu.
Prohibition at Brown? We’ll see GABRIELLA CORVESE opinions columnist
Some students reacted to the University’s recent announcement that alcohol is prohibited at largescale parties in residential spaces as if the administration had resurrected the Eighteenth Amendment. The immediate reaction was laughable. In a recent Herald article gauging campus reactions to the news (“Undergrads question new alcohol policy,” Jan. 22), one student interviewed likened the policy to “Prohibition.” And while the Herald Editorial Board’s recent headline (“Will Prohibition work at Brown?”, Jan. 21) effectively catches readers’ eyes, it is excessively dramatic. Administrators probably rolled their eyes at the overreactions as well, prompting the Office of Campus Life and Student Services to send a Jan. 30 email to all students clarifying the policy, which essentially stated, “Don’t worry, your precious, crowded dorm room parties are safe!” The policy, which is far from Prohibition, is not necessarily a bad one. Limiting the potential for unwanted sexual contact or unhealthy drinking is an excellent goal — something any student who has been uncomfortably touched in a sweaty, Natty-filled basement can attest to. Much to the disdain of underclassmen, frat parties will take a hit. Though given Brown’s vibrant and diverse party scene, the frat parties are probably where the rule’s effects will end.
A scenario more akin to Prohibition is unfolding at Dartmouth, where President Phil Hanlon recently announced a campus ban on hard liquor — even for students who can possess it legally. Some experts expressed doubts about the efficacy of such a ban. David Hanson, an expert on alcohol policy on college campuses and professor emeritus of sociology at the State University of New York at Potsdam, expressed that there is “little logic in banning hard alcohol without banning all alcohol,” the Dartmouth reported. A ban like Dartmouth’s could be effective in
sexual assault and harassment. Alcohol does not cause sexual assault. Yet like the Brown administration, I don’t have the solution to stopping sexual assault. Despite a gradual, uplifting shift in national dialogue from “don’t get raped” to “don’t rape,” rape still happens. While I, like many students, would love to see President Christina Paxson P’19 on the Main Green waving a flag reading “Destroy rape culture!”, dismantling those deeply ingrained cultural values that make campuses unsafe isn’t that easy. Brown’s soft ban is not the most pleas-
Brown and Dartmouth’s new alcohol policies aren’t like Prohibition’s moral panic. They are responses to violent campus incidents. decreasing incidents of alcohol-fueled hazing or hospitalizations. Yet though it may take longer to chug a beer than it does to take a shot, college party scenes are exhilarating yet temporary parts of life that take more than a ban on one type of booze to disrupt. Many college students want to take full advantage of their four years on campus, so they are going to get drunk. Brown and Dartmouth’s new alcohol policies aren’t like Prohibition’s moral panic. They are responses to violent campus incidents, including binge drinking incidents at Dartmouth. Imperfect as the restrictions and bans may be, they are somewhat commendable moves on the administrations’ part. But a less commendable consequence is the conflation of alcohol with reports of
ing policy move, nor is it the end of our combat against sexual assault. But at least Brown is doing something. The ban is not infallible. It is impossible to develop reasonable policies that prevent drinking outside of a supervised setting — everything from pregames to off-campus parties — where the crimes Brown is trying to prevent can occur just as easily or even at higher rates post-ban. Indeed, a survey of more than 11,000 American college student drinkers conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that “extreme drinking” occurred with the same frequency, regardless of whether or not students attended a school that bans alcohol. So while the new rules at Brown and Dartmouth might cut
some dangerous drinking, their value as more than a smart public relations move after a tidal wave of campus controversies is yet to be determined. Possible incentives for implementing the policy beyond fighting sexual assault also raise some questions. While the move restricts frats from throwing parties in their on-campus houses, there’s no Department of Public Safety officer around at their off-campus soirees. Fraternities thus have one less potential liability to worry about. Save for Brown’s sanctions against Phi Kappa Psi and Sigma Chi, the notion that college administrators want to protect the interests of established frats is no outlandish conspiracy theory. At the end of this semester, University administrators will ideally evaluate the policy’s effectiveness. Were fewer students hospitalized for binge drinking? Did students cooperate with the policy? Though correlations can’t tell us causations, they are helpful nonetheless. But administrators shouldn’t expect any revolutionary shifts in campus culture, and students shouldn’t fear a decrease in partying. Instead, students and administrators alike should try to recognize factors besides alcohol that might contribute to rape on campus. Though I still hesitate to compare Brown’s situation to Prohibition, a historical comparison may be useful in predicting the policy’s outcome: Prohibition failed.
Gabriella Corvese ’15 is a former opinions editor and can be reached at gabriella_corvese@brown.edu.
SCIENCE & RESEARCH THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015
Big data documentary kicks off National Data Privacy Month Screenings, lectures explore importance of data privacy awareness in face of rising big data By EMMA JERZYK METRO EDITOR
The documentary “The Human Face of Big Data,” screened Wednesday in Salomon 001, “strikes a balance of all the good that can happen with the data that we collect and the evil content that could happen as well,” said David Sherry, chief information security officer for Computing and Information Services, who facilitated a question-and-answer session after the screening. The screening was the first in a series of events for National Data Privacy Month, which spans from
Jan. 28 to Feb. 28. The film profiles several uses of big data, including a smartphone app that relies on accelerometer data when users are in cars to sense the location of potholes, as well as a neonatal intensive care unit that draws on big data to predict when premature babies will contract infections. The movie also examines what it portrays as the “dark side” of big data, such as Target’s algorithm to determine when women are pregnant and the National Security Agency’s widespread wiretapping. National Data Privacy Month, which was started by EDUCAUSE — a consortium that promotes information technology in higher education — is similar to National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which the University has participated in for more than a decade, Sherry said. The
National Cyber Security Alliance lists Brown as a leader in cybersecurity, he added. But National Data Privacy Month celebrations are relatively new, with the first national event in 2013. The goal of National Data Privacy Month is “to get the same impact that we do from cybersecurity awareness month with privacy issues,” Sherry said. Learning about data privacy is important because “research has shown that when people are aware of these things, issues go down,” he said. The Information Security Group will host two additional Brown Bag lectures on the same topic, “The Evolution of Privacy & Why It Matters to You,” Feb. 11 and Feb. 26. It will also hold a screening Monday of “Rise of the Hackers,” a PBS production that delves into cybercriminals and cryptography.
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
David Sherry, chief information security officer for Computing and Information Services, answers questions after the film screening.
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