SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015
VOLUME CL, ISSUE 13
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Men’s health coordinator backs ‘healthy masculinity’ New programming includes conversations on consent with fraternities, athletic teams By LAUREN ARATANI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Since August, Marc Peters, the University’s first men’s health coordinator, has led campus discussions and trainings on the prevention of sexual violence and the creation of safe spaces on campus. “How men are sexualized plays into the type of violence that exists in college communities,” Peters said. “Men don’t have a lot of spaces to have open and honest conversations about the different things that they are dealing with, like how they grapple with emotions or deal with conflict,” he said. One of Peters’ primary charges involves working with Greek organizations and men’s athletic teams to foster conversation around “healthy masculinity,” he said. Grant Senne ’16 has worked with Peters both as president of Theta Delta Chi and as a member of the football team. Peters collaborated with Theta Delta Chi to ensure members “were all on the same page when it came to consent, interacting with men and women and preventing people from falling into a bad situation,” Senne said. Pe t e r s h e l p e d f a c i l i t a t e
conversations among members that otherwise would not have occurred and created an “openness” within the fraternity, Senne added. “The thing I like about Marc is that he’s not a speaker brought in by the University who’s politically charged,” Senne said. “He’s talking about understanding health, emotions and your own perceptions and interactions with people.” “He makes it a big self-reflection process,” he added. Peters also helps coordinate the Sexual Assault Peer Education program’s trainings of new members and presentations aimed at creating dialogue about sexual assault. Hannah Gribetz ’15, Sexual Assault Peer Education educator and student staff member at Health Education, said Peters helps SAPE determine its future plans and “role on campus,” which has led to the recruitment of new members and greater interest in the sexual assault prevention trainings held throughout the year. “He always makes sure to act more as a facilitator,” rather than as a group leader, Gribetz said, adding that he helps “make the connections we need to make or suggest things if we get stuck on a problem.” Gribetz said the University is in need of “a great role model for healthy masculinity” like Peters who ensures discussions “what it means to be a man” are occurring. » See MASCULINITY, page 2
HERALD FILE PHOTO
The joint project of the Swearer Center for Public Service and the Office of the Dean of the College will operate within the anthropology, engineering, environmental studies and theater and performance studies departments.
U. to launch Engaged Scholars Program Initiative will offer concentrators in four departments community engagement opportunities By BAYLOR KNOBLOCH SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Engaged Scholars Program will launch its pilot phase this spring, marking the implementation of a proposal in President Christina Paxson’s P’19 strategic plan. The program will offer a new means of incorporating community service into the curriculum of four departments. “At the heart of the Engaged
Scholars Program, we are trying to provide opportunities for students to better integrate their academic coursework with opportunities to do work around social change,” said Allen Hance, director of the TRI-Lab. Faculty members in the four departments participating in the program’s pilot phase — theater and performance studies, environmental studies, engineering and anthropology — have already been doing work in the realm of engaged scholarship, said Kate Trimble, acting director of the Swearer Center for Public Service. The term “engaged scholarship” evolved on a national level from what was formerly referred to as community
service, Trimble said. Use of the term community service has “fallen out of vogue and people are now talking about community or civic engagement,” she added. “Engaged Scholarship is a program geared to link what’s happening in the classroom with what’s happening outside the classroom, but it’s specifically one that’s linked to concentration tracks,” said Dean of the College Maud Mandel. The program is the product of a student focus group commissioned by the Swearer Center two years ago, Trimble said. Students, faculty members and administrators discussed specific plans » See SCHOLARS, page 3
Professors take to floor for dance-off Production Workshop
falls down the rabbit hole
Popular Dancing with the Profs tradition returns to campus after four-yearlong hiatus
“Wonderland” engages audience in interactive play with intricate set, dynamic performances
By GRACE YOON SENIOR STAFF WRITER
If there is one thing students wouldn’t expect to see on a Friday evening — or ever — it’s their professors flaunting some moves and jiving away on a stage. Yet seven professors, each paired with a student dancer, will perform Friday at Dancing with the Profs, a competition will conclude more than a semester of weekly dance lessons and rehearsals. “My dance has a surprise in it,” said Monica Linden, lecturer in neuroscience. “I also wear a very fancy dress — bright red and sparkling — so people should » See DANCING, page 2
By CORINNE SEJOURNE STAFF WRITER
ARTS & CULTURE
INSIDE
“Wonderland,” a play directed by Rebecca Carrol ’15 and produced by the Production Workshop, is interactive in the truest sense of the word. A dizzying and realistic descent through a rabbit hole carries audience members into the pages of the familiar storybook on which this devised piece is based: Lewis Carroll’s “The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland.” From these first moments, the audience members, much like Alice
ARTS & CULTURE
MATTEO MOBILIO / HERALD
Associate Professor of Computer Science and department vice chair Thomas Doeppner and Madeline Day Price ’15 prepare for Friday’s performance.
herself, become part of a fantastical and enticing world wrought with its own dark secrets and tensions. Developed over the course of a few weeks by the PW actors and designers, the play grew from a skeletal concept — 10 characters and a few central events — into a multidimensional and complex plot. As the characters move through their roles, audience members wander, explore and start to understand Wonderland. Themes and motifs slowly come to light through direct interactions with actors, who bring familiar storybook faces to life. The characters’ unique but intimately-linked stories progress in tandem, separating and coming together in a sort of dance through time and space as they approach the climactic final scene. Well-developed roles, deliberate » See WONDERLAND, page 2
WEATHER
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015
ARTS & CULTURE Contemporary and historical Arab comics on display at Watson Institute
ARTS & CULTURE Literary arts conference explores identity of post-revolution Cuban generation
COMMENTARY Grenawalt ’17: Brown students should recognize opportunity ROTC program provides
COMMENTARY Powers ’15: Critics of popular food substitute Soylent are narrow-minded
PAGE 4
PAGE 5
PAGE 11
PAGE 11
TODAY
TOMORROW
21 / 14
31 / 23
ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 2 • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
“Cuba in Splinters” explores national identity, belonging Lit arts department hosts panel discussions, concert on Cuba’s postrevolutionary generation By ZACK BU STAFF WRITER
Standing at a podium in the McCormack Family Theater, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo conjured criticism of his home country in flowing Spanish interspersed with English translations for a small gathering of students, faculty members and writers. Reading from “Cuba in Splinters,” a recently published collection of short stories about Cuba that includes one of his own, Pardo Lazo expressed the frustration of a post-revolutionary generation. In the opening paragraph of Pardo Lazo’s own story “The Man, the Wolf and the New Woods,” the protagonist proclaims: “I didn’t want to go back to Cuba. I didn’t give a damn about what became of that imitation of a country. I didn’t want to hear another word about it, not even in emails. No Cuba.” Pardo Lazo was one of a few Cuban writers who helped organize
» DANCING, from page 1 definitely come and see.” The Brown Ballroom Dance Team, which organized the event, anticipates a big comeback after a four-year-long hiatus, said Kevin O’ Farrell ’16, co-president of the team and Linden’s partner. While efforts have been made to bring back the event since 2011, the planning did not come through until this year, said Claire Dong ’16, co-coordinator of the program. Last year’s team seemed particularly keen on reviving the competition and passed the task on to Dong and her fellow coordinator, Serena Liu ’16, she added. The coordinators started planning last April, when they sent more than 200 emails inviting professors to participate, Liu said. The invitation email included YouTube clips of Dancing with the Profs from previous years, said David Cane, professor of chemistry. Knowing colleagues who had previously participated and taking their recommendations into account influenced his decision to take part, Crane added.
the series of events Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 entitled “Cuba in Splinters” and sponsored by the Literary Arts department. Through presentations, panel discussions and a concert by Cuban singer Boris Larramendi, the events provoked discussions about Cuban literature, music and culture over the two days. The series’ activities stemmed from a “Cuba in Splinters” anthology, published in June 2014, Pardo Lazo said. Comprising 11 stories personally picked by Pardo Lazo, the book represents the generation of writers with whom Pardo Lazo identifies most, he said. These writers, largely unrecognized in the U.S., have become known as Generation Year Zero.. The name refers to the movement’s birth in the early 2000s, Pardo Lazo added. Many authors of Generation Year Zero came from primarily scientific fields and did not have formal literary training, he said. Pardo Lazo himself was a biochemist, and such background is vital to his selection of the writers for “Cuba in Splinters.” “This is not an anthology of comprehensive Cuban literature,” Pardo Lazo said, adding that the writers
“share similar points of view, the feeling of emptiness, the feeling of change of an era into something that maybe has no meaning, like a lost paradise, like a transitional stage from the Revolution to post-revolution, post-communist, post-nothing.” The stories in “Cuba in Splinters” are neither patriotic celebrations of Cuban cultural establishments nor ingrained personal connections to the nation. Instead, they are fraught with everlasting frustrations and agonies in response to the nation’s stagnant yet paradoxically volatile state in the midst of communism and revolution. The selection of stories adapts distinctive narratives towards such grievances. In “Fefita and the Berlin Wall,” Jorge Alberto Aguiar Díaz depicted the rise and fall of a love affair, which mirrors the shifts of the Cuban society through documentary-style narrative. “That Zombie Belongs to Fidel,” by Erick J. Mota, traces an absurd tale of zombies flooding the streets of Havana, exploring freedom in the face of revolution. The story reflects the irrationality that tore through the city post-revolution. “That’s why they say Fidel is ill.
Interviewed professors expressed little to none previous dancing experience. Michael Littman, professor of computer science, said he is “part of a family that likes to perform.” His wife loves dancing in particular, and he joined the event with the hope of acquiring more dancing skills to teach his spouse, he said. “I said no a bunch of times because I’m a terrible dancer,” said Rachel Toncelli, director of English language learning. Though she was initially intimidated by the idea, she ultimately accepted the invitation as a way to impress her children. “I’m trying to be courageous and be a good model for my kids,” she said. “I have an intern who said to me, ‘When you’re out of your comfort zone, you grow.’ I should be six feet tall then!” Michael Stewart, lecturer in English, described his experience since the first day of rehearsal as “humbling.” Though he had no prior dancing experience, his partner, Angelia Wang ’16, a Herald illustrations editor, was patient and the learning process went faster than he had expected.
“It’s nice to be a novice at something … with no real expectation that you’re going to be great at this,” Stewart added. “I’ve never been so closely involved with a student organization at Brown,” Linden said. “I was reminded of how passionate Brown students are to their extracurriculars.” Some student participants said they felt a new level of closeness with faculty members through dancing, adding that the opportunity to teach professors broadened their perspective. “It’s interesting to have that peer level with a professor when working with them,” said Julia Tatiyatrairong ’16. The age difference seems to disappear while dancing, she added. “When they are able to dance, it’s very youthful.” Also participating in the competition are Bjorn Sandstede, professor of applied math, and Tom Doeppner, associate professor and vice chair of computer science. Dancing with the Profs will take place Friday at 7 p.m. in the Alumnae Hall Auditorium and will be open to the public. Tickets will be sold at the door: $7 for students and $10 for community members.
» MASCULINITY, from page 1
JUSTINA LEE / HERALD
Marc Peters, the University’s first men’s health coordinator, teaches that men can have an active role in sexual assault prevention.
“When students come into college, particularly men, you have 18 years of being socialized in what it means to be a man and what ‘man’ is supposed to look like,” Peters said, adding that “there are very rigid definitions of what that is.” But while Peters’ title is men’s health coordinator, his position is “all-encompassing” for people of all gender identities, he said. Society tends to frame issues of sexual violence as solely “women’s issues,” Peters said, adding that the creation of his role shows the University is looking to change this misperception. Students wanted this position to be created, Peters said. “Brown is emphasizing the role that men can play in preventing violence,” he added.
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
Cuban musician Boris Larramendi performs Feb. 5 as part of the literary arts department’s festival highlighting trends in Cuban narratives. He can’t give speeches that last more than an hour because he’s a zombie,” the story reads. Panel discussions aimed to identify Cuban literature and trends in contemporary Cuban narratives, evoking reflections from multiple aspects.
“The stories all connected with the idea that Cuba — from something that’s together in a more monolithic way — is being fragmented to the speed of the light,” Pardo Lazo said. “This is why Cuba is in splinters. It is piercing and hurting.”
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Production Workshop actress Charlotte Senders ’18 performs a scene from a stage adaptation of Lewis Caroll’s storybook.
» WONDER, from page 1 lighting and detailed set and costume design all serve to provide structure to the dream-like and sometimes overwhelming nature of the story and its presentation. Colorful lighting scatters across the playful landscape, with high and low lights shifting, dimming and intensifying to direct the audience’s attention while simultaneously adding to the confusion and mystery that drives forth the plot. Strong character development is evident and enthralling. It is a powerful tool that lends continuity and grounding to the story’s surreal and distinct framework. The King, played by Anthony De Rita ’18, serves as a guide, animatedly narrating in rhyme whenever the group converges. De Rita also personally nudges along audience members to engage them in the imaginary community as the characters disperse into their
individual existences and actions. As these individual scenes play out in various corners of the space, the audience witnesses the humorous idiosyncrasies that define each person and creature in Wonderland — from the convincingly insane Mad Hatter, played by Rohit Basavaraju PhD ’18, to the adorably lovable Dormouse played by Zoe Thompson ’15 and the icy Queen of Hearts played by Joanna de Boer ’16 — and how their unique roles fit together. The setup of this artistic and abstract interpretation of Carroll’s classic creates not only an interactive experience, but also an unusually individual one. Audience members move on their own, like the shadows in the strange world, each catching different snippets of the gossip, friendships, attitudes and life in this fantastical community. Short and sweet, the play will keep you on your toes, both literally and figuratively, for the hour-long duration.
SPORTS
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
MEN’S HOCKEY
No. 5 Harvard, red-hot Dartmouth visit Providence Head Coach Brendan Whittet ’94 calls Crimson’s Jimmy Vesey ‘best player in country’ By MATT BROWNSWORD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Back in mid-November, the men’s hockey team traveled north for two away games against Ivy rivals Harvard and Dartmouth with high expectations for a season that had just begun. What followed was calamitous: Brown started out by falling 6-2 to the Crimson before getting utterly embarrassed by the Big Green 6-0, and since then, the Bears have struggled mightily. Now, with the season on its final lap and teams falling into place, Brown (416-1, 1-12-1 ECAC) will look to exact some revenge on its Ivy foes at home this weekend in an effort to possibly improve its playoff outlook. Both competitors are “excellent,” said Head Coach Brendan Whittet ’94. “They both present a challenge. Dartmouth is experienced and very good on the offensive side, while Harvard is No. 5 in the country for a reason.” “We need to make sure that we are focused and prepared from the start of the game,” said Mark Naclerio ’16. “We had a great week of practice and are excited for the challenge.” The first visitor to Meehan Auditorium will be Dartmouth (9-8-4, 6-6-2), which is 3-0-1 in its last four games, including a tie to then No. 15 Colgate (149-3, 6-5-3). The Big Green had gone five games without a win prior to its recent hot streak, where it took advantage of
» SCHOLARS, from page 1 for the launch of the Engaged Scholars Program pilot this past summer, she added. “The Engaged Scholars Program has been a joint effort of the Swearer Center, the Office of the Dean of the College and interested faculty who have been involved in a conversation about this during the strategic plan development,” Hance said. Participation in the pilot program will entail taking concentration-specific courses that have components of engagment with partner organizations in the community. Enrolled students will be required to complete rigorous internships and participate in general programming for Engaged Scholars, Trimble said. “The vision going forward is that each concentration will design a specific curriculum for the students in the concentration who designate themselves to be Engaged Scholars,” said Daniel Smith, chair and professor of anthropology. “That will involve courses that are already on the books but also developing specific courses with a highly engaged component.” In anthropology, many of the engagement opportunities will be abroad in cultural immersion and archaeology, Smith added. “Various programs have been doing engaged programs for years at Brown,” said Dov Sax, director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, which houses the environmental studies department. “What has been decided is to begin to try to formalize that into a more cohesive and recognizable
middling teams like Union (13-11-2, 5-81), Cornell (9-9-3, 7-6-1) and Rensselaer (9-18-1, 7-7-0) to propel itself from 10th place to a mere four points out of third in the ECAC. A senior trio of Eric Neiley, Eric Robinson and Tyler Sikura, who have all accrued 16 points or more this season — a number no Brown player has yet to reach — lead an experienced Dartmouth team. But the Big Green overall is underwhelming offensively, scoring 2.67 goals per game to rank sixth in the ECAC. Meanwhile, its power play ranks 11th in the conference, just 0.9 percent better than Brown’s. “Experience trumps all, especially talented experience,” Whittet said. “Things didn’t go right for them last season — kind of like us this year — but they’ve come back better for it. They have veterans that play hard and play right, and that will make you successful.” While Dartmouth’s team stats do not particularly impress, goalie James Kruger’s play has been a spark. In the Big Green’s last four games, Kruger has given up an average of 1.75 goals and did not allow more than two in any of those games. The junior ranks 20th in the nation in save percentage and 17th for shutouts with two. A regular question for the Bears is who will start out as goalie, and this weekend is no different. Tyler Steel ’17 gets the nod this week, as has been the case for most Friday night games. After the Big Green, No. 5 Harvard (12-6-2, 8-4-2) will come to Providence on the back end of a midweek, double overtime loss against No. 3 Boston University (17-4-4, 11-2-2 Hockey East) in
the Beanpot Tournament and a Friday matchup against No. 15 Yale (12-6-3, 7-52). The Crimson comes into the weekend ranked third in the ECAC, five points out of the top spot. Unlike Dartmouth, Harvard has been incredibly impressive in almost all categories this year, ranking first in the ECAC in goals per game and power play percentage— marks that are good for fourth and seventh in the nation, respectively. Leading the charge for the Crimson is possibly the most impressive player in the nation, junior Jimmy Vesey. The forward has registered a point in every single game this season, an incredible feat . It also has 34 points on the year, which is ninth in the country. Alongside linemates Kyle Criscuolo — 30 points — and Alexander Kerfoot — 16 points in 11 games — who is returning from injury, Harvard’s first line is arguably the most exciting in the United States. “Their first line is outstanding; they play with a high pace and complement each other,” Whittet said. “Vesey is something special. I honestly think he’s the best player in the country as a junior, and he’s someone that will probably be playing in the NHL next year.” Defensively, Harvard has been quite the enigma. Ranked eighth in the ECAC in goals against average, the Crimson and senior goalie Steve Michalek rank fourth in the conference in save percentage. Michalek had a performance for the ages in his last game against Boston University with 63 saves in a double overtime loss in the Beanpot semifinals. For all of Harvard’s strengths, it has lost four out of its last five games,
program that acknowledges that kind of scholarship.” J. Timmons Roberts, professor of environmental studies and sociology, has taught courses with engaged elements such as attending United Nations climate negotiations and making local neighborhoods more sustainable. Engaged scholarship “meshes well with the kind of students that we have who want to change the world and don’t want to wait until they finish Brown,” Roberts said. Many courses with engaged components already offered by the four pilot departments will be incorporated into the official program launch. “In a way, Engaged Scholars formalizes what already has been going on, and it also pushes the faculty to be more consistent in terms of the engaged scholarship that they’re doing with communities,” said Nancy Safian, TAPS academic programming and facilities coordinator. Engaged scholarship is “work from Brown for and with the world beyond Brown,” said Erik Ehn, chair and professor of TAPS. Department members in TAPS have worked with community partners such as English for Action, Central Falls High School, Mathewson Street United Methodist Church, The Manton Avenue Project and AS220 in courses involving engaged scholarship. Working with English for Action, an immigrant support organization, Assistant Professor of TAPS Kym Moore “taught puppetry, but it was also a conversation about genocide,” she said. “We have a faculty and staff who not uniformly but by and large, see theater as the formation of idealistic
social communities in real time and space,” Ehn said. “There are a lot of groups that we’ve worked with over time that we’d love to work with in a more regular way.” The four departments will solidify community partnerships with the help of the Swearer Center, continuing their work with previous partners and forming new relationships with local and international groups. The program will take engaged scholarship “beyond just the Swearer Center so you could do that through your department,” Trimble said. “It’s about embedding it in the institution as opposed to a one-stop shop.” The specific overarching requirements for Engaged Scholars are still being determined, Trimble said. “This initial cohort is going to be, to some extent, taking a leap into the unknown,” she said. “This is a pilot, and it will evolve.” The goal is to have 10 departments participating in the Engaged Scholars Program next semester, and “eventually up to 30 or 40,” Mandel said. The business, entrepreneurship and organizations, music and public policy departments have already shown interest in offering concentrators the option to be Engaged Scholars, Trimble said. The Engaged Scholars Program’s pilot phase will “be defined by students and what their passions are and by departments who are working with concentrators to connect their academic pursuits with their passions,” Hance said. The Swearer Center will hold an information session Feb. 12 for firstand second-year students interested in the program.
DAVID DECKEY / HERALD
Matt Lorito ’15 waits for a pass in Brown’s offensive zone. The senior forward is just four points shy of the career 100-point club. including one-goal losses to Union and Cornell, two teams that rank in the bottom half of the ECAC. The aforementioned Beanpot loss lasted 82:18, so the Bears might be the beneficiary of some tired legs, especially after a tough game against Yale and the quick turnaround from New Haven to Providence. But Whittet said he thinks the turnaround will not be an influential factor. “They’re young kids with boundless energy and I know they’ll be ready and so will we,” he said. And coming off a game against No. 16 Quinnipiac (16-8-2, 11-2-1) in which the Bears were able to keep pace with a high-powered offense, Brown has more
than a chance to hang with the Crimson. “I think we were good for most of the game against Quinnipiac,” Naclerio said. “We just need to be more consistent and make sure we play a full 60 minutes each night.” Matthew Lorito ’15 is just four points away from the career 100 point club, and while four points in two games hasn’t happened for the senior since opening weekend last year, the Bears will hope that he can provide a much-needed spark against some top-quality opposition. The last time he had four points in a weekend, the Bears won both their games. They should hope history repeats itself come Friday.
» W. BBALL, from page 8
the conference’s deadliest shooter from behind the arc. In spite of its potential scoring threats, Dartmouth has struggled to gain second-chance opportunities on missed shots — the squad averages just over nine offensive rebounds per game, a conference low. This lack of activity on the glass is beneficial to the Bears, as the squad does remarkably well when its players are able to rebound the ball and quickly run down the court, often converting the opportunity into a layup or short jumper. Musgrove believes that Bruno’s strengths lie in the team’s balanced offense. “I feel confident with our ability to score,” Musgrove said. In the team’s last victory, four Bears scored in double figures, and all but one player that saw action in the contest chipped in at least three points. Bruno must summon this ability to be a team with multiple contributors to be successful this weekend.
under-performing Harvard squad. Though the Crimson was predicted to sit high in the Ancient Eight in a media poll earlier in the season, the team has found it difficult to live up to the lofty expectations and is currently in the midst of a two-game losing streak. In spite of this shortcoming, Bruno must remain aggressive in its defensive play. The Crimson average two more board than the Bears and shoot about 40 percent from the field, the third-highest percentage in the conference. Leading the way for the Crimson is Temi Fagbenle. The imposing forward stands 6-foot-4 and averages a doubledouble: 14.5 points and 10.4 boards. She is one of three Crimson players to average 10 or more points per game. Bruno’s defensive capabilities will also be tested in the matchup against Dartmouth. The Big Green’s offense is led by Fanni Szabo, the leading scorer in the Ivy League. The team also boasts
SPORTS
PAGE 4 • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
SPORTS COMMENTARY
The Butler did it: Why this Super Bowl was truly super BY JAMES COHAN sports columnist
There are few things in sports that truly shock me anymore. When you’re a kid, it’s easy to be amazed: the first time you see a buzzer beater, the ball swishing through the net in the glow of the neon red zeroes. It seems, in the literal sense of the word, unbelievable. The tiniest competitions can take on monumental importance. I remember playing Madden ’03 with my friend Adam back when we were maybe 10. We were playing on the same team — the Eagles, obviously — so we could scramble with Donovan McNabb. We were down a few points — it might have been against the Patriots — with about five seconds left deep in our own territory. So we ran the play where you chuck it to the wide receiver running straight down the left side of the sideline. Half of the time that play ends in an interception. Every once in a while the guy gets his hands on it. This time he caught it and then, somehow, broke the tackle. That never happens. As he sprinted down the field with nobody else in sight, we were floored. This quickly turned into
»M. BBALL, from page 8 weeks ago for its only Ivy win so far this season,while Harvard’s other contests with the Big Green and Princeton were much narrower than expected. To be sure, the Crimson remains near the top of the league and the favorite to capture the Ivy crown, but the chinks in its armor have been exposed. At 0-4, Bruno needs to turn things around in a hurry in order to conquer the perennial Ivy frontrunner. Bruno showed its ability to hang with the League’s best in a nail-biting loss to Yale (15-6, 4-0) two weeks ago, but the departure of Leland King ’17 — who left the program last week for personal reasons — stunted the offense in back-to-back losses to Cornell (10-10, 2-2) and Columbia (10-8, 2-2). Wesley Saunders, the Ivy League’s two-time reigning Player of the Year, runs the Harvard attack. The do-it-all senior guard averages 15.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists. The Crimson floor general Siyani Chambers leads the team with 4.6 helpers and adds 9.4 points per game with spotty shooting. Corbin Miller rounds out Harvard’s high-scoring backcourt as the team’s premier outside shooter, ranking third in the Ivy League in three-point field goals.
» SQUASH, from page 8 just one game away at the third position from claiming the victory. Later in the day, No. 5 Princeton cruised past the Bears, dominating from start to finish in a 9-0 win. Despite the loss, White felt confident that the squad would be capable of taking down Stanford if the teams were to meet in the NCAA tournament. “It really could’ve gone either way,” she said. The men didn’t fare too much better against the Tigers (5-5), falling by a score of 7-2. Blecher and Booth once again proved to be the bright spots for
delirium, jumping up and down and rejoicing in the miracle that had just occurred on my PS2. I remember going to one of those Washington Wizards-Cleveland Cavaliers playoff battles with Adam in 2006. Being inside that arena, waving those little white playoff towels with the Wizards logo that they handed out to all of the fans — the moment couldn’t have felt any larger. At the end of regulation, with the Wizards down three, Gilbert Arenas pulled up 45 feet from the basket and drilled the shot to send the game into overtime. OK, maybe it wasn’t 45 feet, but that’s how I remember it. I can still picture the chaos in the seconds after. There was another kid a few rows back who practically lost his mind. His mom was trying to go to the bathroom quickly during the intermission, and he was screaming something like “forget the bathroom!” while jumping up and down and furiously waving his little white playoff towel. These types of moments always retain some of that awesome quality. But the more times you see something impossible happen, the less impossible it seems. The things that used to leave you with your mouth wide open now just make you shake your head in surprise. That’s true of everything, not just sports. How much bigger was that water
slide when you were eight? How much scarier was that movie? It’s not a one-way street, of course. There are plenty of things that you can only appreciate when you get a little older. That’s what makes growing up exciting. Still, there’s a sense of loss at the wonder you’re no longer able to grasp so easily. Every once in a while, though, you witness something so improbable, so insane, that you feel like you just witnessed that Hail Mary in Madden ’03 or that buzzer beater from an absurd distance. When it happens, you know right away. Think the Tyree Catch Game, or Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. And add Sunday night to the list. ••• I wasn’t looking at the TV when Jermaine Kearse hauled in that 33-yard pass. When the ball bounced off of his fingertips and he fell to the ground, I turned away. The play was over. Except, all of a sudden, it wasn’t over. And then the referee was blowing his whistle and waving his arms and placing the ball at the 5-yard line. What the hell is going on? Cut to the replay, and my jaw drops. As Kearse lays flat on his back like a turtle that’s been flipped over onto its shell, the ball bounces off his legs, then off his hands, then into his arms. My mind flashes to the Tyree Catch. It’s happening all over
again. And then they’re showing the Tyree Catch on the broadcast. Pandemonium. How could this happen twice? How could the two most logic-defying catches sink the same team in the Super Bowl? Cut to the faces of the players, coaches and owners: mouths hanging open. But there’s no time to process any of it, because the Seahawks have a first down on the 5-yard line down four points with a minute left in the biggest game in sports. They hand it to Marshawn Lynch, and he plows to the 1-yard line. The game’s over. It really is happening all over again. The clock’s running down to 30 seconds now and the Patriots aren’t freaking calling timeout! What the hell is Belichick thinking? At least give yourself a chance! And then the Seahawks throw it quickly over the middle, and somebody on the Patriots collides with the Seattle receiver and comes away holding the football. I’m watching with a big group of people — a lot of them Patriots fans — and the room erupts. There’s involuntary jumping, sure. But there’s also diving over couches and tackling and probably a concussion or two. It’s too much to handle. Brady’s jumping up and down like a child. Sherman looks like he just saw a horrific car accident. Malcolm Butler, the 24-year-old
undrafted rookie out of West Alabama who turns out to be the guy who snagged the football, is holding back tears. The Patriots draw an offsides penalty and are no longer snapping the ball in their own end zone. Now it’s really over. A fight breaks out. Then the clock ticks to zero, and it all starts to sink in. Forget implications. Forget legacy. Forget the big picture for a second. That might have been the greatest Super Bowl of all time. In terms of pure drama, pure disbelief, pure insanity — I mean, what can you even say? The catch and then the interception. All in the span of a few seconds. Start to place it in context. If Butler doesn’t grab that ball, Brady loses his third straight Super Bowl and hasn’t won one in a decade. Seattle wins backto-back titles in an era in which that is impossible. Instead, Brady notches his fourth Super Bowl victory, 13 years after the first. The Patriots enter the pantheon of sports dynasties. Not flash-in-the-pan “dynasties” that rip off a few championship appearances in a short period of time. Dynasties. All of these things shot through my mind Sunday night. And I thought back to that little white playoff towel, still sitting on the back of my chair in my bedroom back home.
In recent years, Harvard’s athletic forwards have dominated the middle, but the Bears may have an edge in the paint Friday. Bruno’s co-captains Cedric Kuakumensah ’16 and Rafael Maia ’15 are forces inside and combine to average 20.1 points and 14.7 rebounds per game. Steve Moundou-Missi serves as Harvard’s interior presence and torched the Bears for 21 points last time he played in the Pizzitola. Blackmon may be the player to watch in a Bruno upset bid as he squares off with Chambers. As the season has progressed, Bruno’s sophomore point guard has taken a larger role in the offense. After averaging nine points per game two weeks ago, he’s broken 13 in each of the last three contests. He’s also moving the ball with greater efficiency, upping his assist average from 3.2 before the holiday break to 4.6. Martin often calls Blackmon the most important member of the team. With the capabilities of Chambers and Blackmon, the point guard battle could decide the game. “It’s always a good opportunity to face another good point guard in the league,” Blackmon said. “Everything runs through him, so if I can do a good job with ball pressure and attacking him
early, then we’ll be in good shape.” Harvard was heavily favored in the teams’ final regular season game last year, but Bruno rode a sold-out crowd at the Pizzitola to an overtime thriller. Friday will be the Bears’ first Ivy home game since students returned from winter break, so a potentially large crowd could aid the home squad to a victory. “We go into every game the same way, but (Harvard) is a little different,” Blackmon said. “They’re supposed to be the top of the league, so you’ve got an incentive to get a big win.” Dartmouth (8-10, 1-3) The paint will be the area to watch in Saturday’s battle, as two talented frontcourts duke it out. The Big Green will counter Kuakumensah and Maia with a duo of its own: Gabas Maldunas and Connor Boehm. Maldunas, a lanky 6-foot-9 Lithuanian, is first on the team in rebounds (6.2), second in scoring (10.8) and third in assists (1.5), showing surprising court presence and mobility for a big man. Boehm stands 6-foot-7 and pours in 10.4 points per contest, a consistent but less than flashy forward. The forward combo provides a great deal of scoring for the Big Green, but
expect Bruno to have an edge on the glass. Neither Muldunas nor Boehm pull in rebounds at the rate of Maia or Kuakumensah, and Dartmouth is second to last in the Ancient Eight in boards, while Brown is first. Before struggling last weekend in losses to Princeton (9-10, 2-1) and Penn (6-11, 1-2), the Big Green pulled off what may be the upset of the year in the conference with a win at Harvard. Dartmouth erased a 14-point secondhalf deficit and forced Harvard to allow 18 turnovers. Thanks in part to Blackmon’s improved play, Bruno seems to have quelled some turnover problems from early in the year, but the Bears’ ball control could be a major factor Saturday. Alex Mitola leads Dartmouth in points and lit Harvard up for 18 in the upset. Standing at just 5-foot-11, Mitola does a lot of his damage with the long ball. His 50 treys are second-most in the conference, but he is also a disciplined player with an impressive 2.6 assist-toturnover ratio. “They have a really solid attack, so we have to play solid and contain shooters,” Blackmon said. “If we push the ball on offense, we’ll be fine.” Blackmon will once again have his hands full guarding a talented point
guard and could be a difference maker. “Lately, we’ve needed me to look for my shot a little more, so I’ve been aggressive,” Blackmon said. “But tomorrow if everybody else is rolling, then I’ll be passive. Whatever the team needs.” After Mitola and the big men, the roster gets pretty thin for a Dartmouth team that is last in the league in scoring. Bruno could see a distinct advantage in mid-sized players. Steven Spieth ’17 embodied efficiency in Bruno’s loss to Columbia, scoring 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting and 4-of-4 from the line. Spieth does a ton of work at the charity stripe, where he’s hit 24 of his last 25, and the sophomore’s scoring average has crept into double digits. J.R. Hobbie ’17 has seen his minutes go up as a starter since King left and has turned the extra time into more rebounds to accompany his lethal shooting. Spieth and Hobbie pose much more of a scoring threat than Dartmouth’s wings John Golden and Miles Wright. Opening conference play with four consecutive losses leaves Bruno on the outside looking in at the title race. While the crown may already be out of reach, the Bears could turn some heads this weekend at the Pizzitola. Tipoff will be Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m.
the team, each winning their matches in four games. Captain and Herald sports columnist Jack Blasberg ’16 noted the strong play of both Blecher and Booth, saying that they will be an integral part of the team as it pushes toward the national tournament. Sunday and Wednesday were similar stories, with both the men’s and women’s teams falling to Penn (men 7-5 and women 11-1) and Yale (men 9-3 and women 9-3). The women knew they were in a for a test against the No. 2 Quakers, and they simply did not have the firepower to pull off the upset. The final score was 8-1, with Bruno’s
only win coming on a match default. On Wednesday, the Bears lost 9-0 to the Bulldogs. Though the men suffered two 9-0 defeats, Jack Blasberg was quick to point out that it isn’t always about the final result. Playing against some of the highest-ranked teams in the country is “a really good opportunity to go out there with an underdog mentality and use a little bit of a different strategy,” he said. “We just have to play smart squash and make sure to eliminate errors and opportunities for our opponents.” The men’s and women’s teams look to the weekend, as they prepare to square off against Dartmouth Friday
night and Harvard Sunday afternoon. White said she always looks forward to the Dartmouth match because the teams are typically ranked within a couple spots of each other. “Our team has been playing really well and trying to close out matches when we have the opportunities, so against Dartmouth, it will be good to see where everyone is at,” she said. Jack Blasberg echoed this sentiment, noting that the Dartmouth match will likely be a good gauge for the upcoming national tournament. “We just need to go out there and give it our all, and try to learn what we can from these matches.”
TODAY
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
h o ly s n o w
SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Mad-to-order Quesadillas, Mashed Potato Bowl BLUE ROOM Naked Burritos, Clam Chowder, Minestrone Soups: Broccoli and Cheddar, Vegetarian Barley ANDREWS COMMONS Pizzas: Bacon Cheeseburger, Buffalo Chicken, Harvest
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Vegan Tofu Veggie Ravioli with Sauce, Tuna Noodle Casserole, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Filet of Sole Lemon Roll, Chicken Curry, Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Zucchini, Carrot and Garlic Medley, Vegan Spicy Dahl, Manhattan Clam Chowder
Chicken Pesto Pasta, Vegetable Herb Medley, Vegetarian Chili and Cheese Soup
sudoku
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
Snow blanketed the roof of St. Stephen’s Church Thursday following two weeks of winter storms barreling through the northeast.
Cat Ears | Najateé McNeil ‘17
comics
Comic Sans | Neille-Ann Tan ‘18
crossword
calendar TODAY
FEBRUARY 6
4:15 P.M. CORPORATION-STUDENT DISCUSSIONS
Corporation members will engage in a conversation with undergraduates about sexual assault and mental health. Sign up is required to attend. Faunce, Petteruti Lounge 8:00 P.M. ABOVE THE NOISE
As part of the department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies’ Writing is Live program, this workshop will showcase an a cappella musical with original music by Rick Burkhardt GS. The performance will highlight collegiate friendships and how one hangs onto memories in a time when so much in life is recorded. Leeds Theatre
TOMORROW
FEBRUARY 7
9:00 A.M. HACK@BROWN
Brown’s annual student hackathon will gather students from Providence and across the country to build and learn new technologies. Designers and engineers will be present to offer ideas and promote creativity. Sayles 9:00 A.M. E(RACE)D 2015: UNPACKING ASIAN AMERICA
Organized by the Asian American Students Association, this conference will explore the racialization of Asians within American racial groups. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their identities and gain exposure to transformative dialogue. Salomon 001
DAY AFTER
FEBRUARY 8
3:00 P.M. PASTA COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF FITZSENRY
For just a meal credit, students will learn how to make their own pasta from Assistant Chef of Brown University Dining Services Aaron Fitzsenry. Sharpe Refectory 12:00 P.M. BROWN MOTION PICTURES CASTING CALL
Students dreaming of seeing their faces on the silver screen will audition for one of BMP’s four student-written and directed short films. Wilson 302
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Brown Bites: Feb. 2–6 BY MARCY HUANG, ONLINE EDITOR
Shopping period finally came to a close this week (“Making the most of shopping period,” Feb. 5) amidst the icy roads and puddles of slush left behind by Winter Storms Juno and Linus. Though Brown was the only college or university in Providence not to close (“Despite snow, U. does not cancel operations,” Feb. 2), many professors were forced to cancel classes anyway due to the city parking ban. Luckily for the many who ruined their boots walking through the sludge of Thayer Street, the fashionable sneaker company Electrolites — founded by alums Matthew Paul ’09 and Doug Berman ’09 — can replace any gaps in students’ shoe collections (“Alum startup turns sneakers into works of art,” Feb. 4). Paul and Berman took inspiration for their business from ENGN 0090: “Management of Industrial and Nonprofit Organizations,” showing how much good can come from actually attending the class. With some encouragement from Professor Emeritus of Engineering Barrett Hazeltine GP’15, the duo’s startup took off and is currently in the process of being sold to a Chinese sourcing agent. As if students needed any more reason to wish they were artistic, many from both Brown and RISD ventured down the hill to hear actor, filmmaker and social activist Danny Glover (“Glover inspires in lecture on creativity, art for social change,” Feb. 3). As the keynote speaker of RISD’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Series, Glover discussed the connection between art and activism. Describing art as “a platform to understand, to love, to have empathy,” Glover said it is artists’ responsibility to use their crafts to create a new world. He inspired many Brown students to vow to shop VISA 0100: “Studio Foundation” next semester. While students were busy down the hill, faculty members gathered for a meeting to debate developing a new partnership with the Holy Cross ROTC program (“Faculty endorses tie to Holy Cross ROTC program,” Feb. 4). Though some protested the partnership, mentioning that the military’s ban on transgender enlistment is at odds with Brown’s antidiscrimination policy, faculty members eventually voted 35-29 in favor of the relationship. At the same meeting, faculty members indefinitely tabled a resolution endorsing a statement on free speech that President Paxson P’19 drafted following the Ray Kelly incident last fall. Grads and undergrads rallied together this week in hopes of improving working and living conditions for grad students (“Grad students rally for quality of life,” Feb. 4). Rally participants noted that grad students entering their seventh year of research were recently denied health care and pointed to Yale and UMass Amherst as models of schools that give their grad students dental coverage. Grad students are also up in arms about the auxiliary housing situation, which provides them with a limited number of rooms above market rates. Brandon Welch GS proclaimed, “I can do better than this in a place in Manhattan.”
Z AC HA RY N E L K I N
CORRECTIONS An article in Wednesday’s Herald (“Applications roll in for alternative gift fund grants,” Feb. 4) incorrectly stated that two graduate students serve on the committee that decides how to allocate the fund. In fact, one graduate student serves on the committee. The Herald regrets the error. Due to an editing error, an article in Thursday’s Herald (“Big data documentary kicks off National Data Privacy Month,” Feb. 5) incorrectly stated that another lecture on privacy will occur Feb. 11. In fact, it occurred Feb. 5. The Herald regrets the error.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“I didn’t want to go back to Cuba. I didn’t give a damn about what became of that imitation of a country. I didn’t want to hear another word about it, not even in emails.
”
No Cuba.
— Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, organizer of “Cuba in Splinters”
See cuba on page 2.
Got something to say? Leave a comment online! Visit www.browndailyherald.com to comment on opinion and editorial content.
Editorial Leadership
Sections
Visuals & Production
Business
Editors-in-Chief Michael Dubin Maxine Joselow
Arts & Culture Editors Eben Blake Gabrielle Dee
General Managers Sarah Levine Winnie Shao
Managing Editors Kiki Barnes Jillian Lanney
Metro Editors Alexander Blum Emma Jerzyk Drew Williams
Design Editors Loren Dowd Carlie Peters Taylor Schwartz Assistant: Meryl Charleston Assistant: Andrew Linder
Senior Editors Camilla Brandfield-Harvey Isobel Heck Molly Schulson
Science & Research Editors Andrew Jones Steven Michael
BLOG DAILY HERALD Editor-in-Chief David Oyer
Sports Editors Andrew Flax Alex Wainger
Managing Editors Deena Butt Jacob Koffler
University News Editors Emma Harris Caroline Kelly Joseph Zappa
POST- MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief Adam Asher DIGITAL Online Editor Marcy Huang
COMMENTARY Editorial Page Editors Alexander Kaplan James Rattner Opinions Editors Megan GrapengeterRudnick Kate Kiernan Evan Sweren
Photo Editors Head: Brittany Comunale David Deckey Katie Liebowitz Arjun Narayen Ashley So Ryan Walsh Graphics Editors Avery Crits-Christoph Emma Jerzyk Web Producers Joe Stein Harsha Yeddanapudy Abdullah Yousufi Copy Desk Chief Madeline DiGiovanni Illustrations Editor Angelia Wang Video Editor Richard Flores
Directors Sales: Moniyka Sachar Sales: Jess Urrutia Finance: Josh Tartell Alumni Relations: Marley Rafson Business Dev.: Yuta Inumaru Sales Managers Matthew Meyer Henry Ritter Gulmira Hamit Taylor Casey
facebook.com/browndailyherald
Location: 195 Angell St., Providence, R.I. www.browndailyherald.com
@the_herald
Editorial contact: 401-351-3372 herald@browndailyherald.com
browndailyherald.com
Business contact: 401-351-3260 gm@browndailyherald.com
Corrections: The Brown Daily Herald is committed to providing the Brown University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication. Commentary: The editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial page board of The Brown Daily Herald. The editorial viewpoint does not necessarily reflect the views of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Columns, letters and comics reflect the opinions of their authors only.
Finance Managers Collections: Neil Wathore Collections: Benjamin Wesner Operations: Carin Papendorp
Letters to the Editor: Send letters to letters@browndailyherald.com. Include a telephone number with all letters. The Herald reserves the right to edit all letters for length and clarity and cannot assure the publication of any letter. Please limit letters to 250 words. Under special circumstances writers may request anonymity, but no letter will be printed if the author’s identity is unknown to the editors. Announcements of events will not be printed.
Business Dev. Manager Project Leader: Kaden Lee
Advertising: The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. reserves the right to accept or decline any advertisement at its discretion. The Brown Daily Herald (USPS 067.740) is an independent newspaper serving the Brown University community daily since 1891. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, excluding vacations, once during Commencement and once during Orientation by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Single copy free for each member of the community. Subscription prices: $280 one year daily, $140 one semester daily. Copyright 2014 by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. All rights reserved. Periodicals postage paid at Providence, R.I. Postmaster: Please send corrections to P.O. Box 2538, Providence, RI 02906.
COMMENTARY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
ROTC participants unfairly targeted as “criminals” TAYLOR GRENAWALT guest columnist
Thursday’s Herald featured a column by Peter Makhlouf ’16 titled “ROTC: Return of the Criminals.” I and many to whom I have spoken disagree with Makhlouf ’s stance, and I feel compelled to address some of the points made in his piece. First and foremost, attempting to obtain a college degree through an ROTC scholarship does not make one a criminal, as Makhlouf ’s title suggests. I simply couldn’t believe that such a generalized statement that referred to the ROTC and its participants as criminals was made by a fellow Brown student. Not only is it disappointing, but it is also incredibly offensive to the honest and hardworking individuals who have chosen to continue their educations while preparing themselves for future careers in defending and serving their country. Pointing out that Brown has historically been an anti-war school does not validate the argument. Times have changed, and society has changed with time. Along with prohibiting ROTC from campus, Brown also did not allow female or black students to matriculate. Does
the argument for embracing the University’s rich anti-military history imply that the type of people allowed on Brown’s campus should be reflected by its historical ways — unjust ways — in order to preserve tradition? I’m guessing not. Apparently traditions should only be embraced if they suit Makhlouf ’s political beliefs. Not only does Makhlouf offend those who are attempting to make better lives for themselves, but he also calls for a less inclusive cam-
the assurance that their individual freedoms and rights are protected. In 2011, former President Ruth Simmons released a statement that read, “We should commit to helping to arouse greater national attention to the discrimination of the military and others against transgender individuals.” The University is filled with some of the most intelligent and promising minds in the country. Therefore, it is a student’s duty to reflect on societal shortcomings and work to overcome such ob-
for normalizing militarism on our campus needs to be opposed because Brown students are so often unsure of their political leanings.” This brings another problem into the equation. The claim appears to insinuate that Brown students are unable to think for themselves and, therefore, need an ROTC program to influence or sway their positions. The University supposedly encourages constructive discussions, even when varying viewpoints are at play. Personally, I am very confident
The claim that ROTC is a “return of the criminals” is incredibly slanderous and narrow-minded.
pus. Brown is all about diversity and acceptance, and his proposition to prevent ROTC programs threatens the future of those who cannot afford college and who may want to become part of the military. The paranoia of military indoctrination has led Makhlouf to advance a notion that restricts liberty, opportunity and diverse acceptance. Students have the right to not associate with ROTC or any involved members, and the right do so comes from
stacles. Ignoring the issue of transgender discrimination by preventing ourselves from partaking in the conversation — by banning ROTC — will only extend the lifespan of such policies. It’s in Brown’s interest to participate in the ROTC program in order to utilize the knowledge and ambition that our students possess so that we can reform the discriminatory aspects of the military system. Makhlouf writes, “The push
in the ability of Brown students to form their own educated opinions. The ROTC program is crucial for extending educational opportunities to aspiring students. In 2011, 77 percent of Brown alums surveyed were in favor of expanding ROTC, according to a 2011 report by the Committee on the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. The program has been a means for students to ascend the academic ladder and progress through life with the prospects of
self-improvement. We must acknowledge the value of the ROTC program and the opportunities it provides. As Brown students, we have tried to uphold the notions of liberty and freedom on campus. Preventing the formation of an ROTC program will restrict individual liberty and will further solidify a growing perception of Brown as unwilling to accept free speech and the sharing of diverse opinions — the media’s version of the Ray Kelly incident. We all have the liberty to make decisions for ourselves in order to fulfill our lives and purposes. All of us are provided with the right to association and are able to affiliate or distance ourselves from whomever we choose. The claim that ROTC is a “return of the criminals” is incredibly slanderous and narrow-minded. If you disagree with the program, then utilize your right of association. In doing so, however, it is very discriminatory and aggressively harmful to future students and the campus environment.
Taylor Grenawalt ’17 is president of Young Americans for Liberty and a political science and public policy concentrator. He can be reached at taylor_grenawalt@brown.edu
A culinary revolution ANDREW POWERS opinions columnist
Last week, New England faced Winter Storm Juno, which dumped enough snow on Brown’s campus to cancel classes and close all nonessential University buildings. Much to the dismay of Pembroke students, dining operations were centralized to the Sharpe Refectory. Anyone who went to the Thayer Street CVS to stock up on supplies will remember empty shelves and a line snaking around the entire store. With warnings of potential power outages, many including me were purchasing candles and flashlights. One thing I wasn’t concerned about was food, of which I had plenty left in my closet — enough to last for 8 weeks and two days, to be exact. Just a week prior, one month’s shipment of Soylent version 1.3 had arrived on my porch in a single large box. The box held four smaller boxes, each containing seven vacuum-sealed bags filled with one day’s worth of nutrient-rich goodness. The name Soylent might remind some older readers of “Soylent Green,” the 1973 Charlton Heston film set in a dystopian future that would rival an environmentalist’s worst nightmare. In the film, humanity subsists largely upon soylent green, a processed nutritional wafer that turns out to be made from human corpses. The Soylent to which I’m referring is not a wafer but a powder. It’s also — probably — not made from people. In early 2013, Georgia Institute of Technology graduate Robert Rhinehart — then a software engineer who was just a few years older than I am — began to tackle a problem with which any micro-optimizing, life hacking aficionado will be familiar.
The problem is food — it’s expensive, timeconsuming and often extremely labor-intensive. Rhinehart planned to solve all of these issues with this product — a bag of blended nutritionally complete vitamins, minerals and macromolecules that the user need only add water to and consume. In August 2013, I caught wind of Rhinehart’s crowdfunding project and shortly thereafter became an initial backer. Unfortunately, due to the numerous legal and logistical hurdles, I received my first shipment of Soylent 1.0 nearly a year later in September 2014. It’s hard to describe the taste of Soylent beyond commenting on the slight hint of creamy vanilla. In his appearance on the Colbert Re-
superior to the diet of most Brown students. And at only $3 for each surprisingly satisfying vegan-friendly meal, Soylent is easy on the wallet as well as the environment. Perhaps most importantly, the high fiber content ensures your stools remain solid. But since its inception, significant controversy has surrounded Soylent. Stella Metsovas, a popular nutritionist and advocate of her own paleo-mediterranean diet, told Business Insider in March 2013 that “our culture has become so fixated on all things food; it’s no surprise (Rhinehart) is generating so much response. … I probably wouldn’t respond to any of this rubbish. However, I see a red flag for a potential eating disorder.”
The problem is food — it’s expensive, time-consuming and often labor-intensive.
port last summer, Rhinehart said the taste was designed to be “minimal” and “nonspecific” so as not to tire the user with extended use. Despite initially expressing skepticism, Colbert found it “delicious.” While its official beta test phase is complete, Soylent will be a work in progress for the foreseeable future. With each update, the packaging becomes slicker and the formula more refined. We’re nowhere near an exhaustive understanding of human nutrition, and I personally wouldn’t rely on Soylent exclusively for extended periods of time — despite the anecdotal success of many bloggers. With provision for your entire daily recommended value of every nutrient, it’s certainly
A similarly contemptuous pediatrician opined in the Daily Beast last May, “For all you people who have something better to do than eating, you probably won’t kill yourself living off of Soylent. … But it’s no more the end of food than Nutren was. … Which is good, because food is delicious.” I find it telling how openly judgmental of Soylent users these writers and many other reviewers are. The criticisms of Soylent that I’ve read frequently resort to vitriolic ad hominem attacks and rarely cite any specific nutritional concerns beyond those solved in early beta testing. In many cases, even anti-vaxxers — whose health claims have been conclusively falsified — garner more respect.
Society has more patience for the clueless parent of an endangered child than for individuals who take such an unconventionally aggressive stance on self-improvement. We prefer superstition to ambition — ignorance of empirical science to arrogance of flaunting cultural norms. It’s uncool to say one’s too good for something as ubiquitously loved as food. But such defensive hostility is misinformed. Soylent does not preclude one from eating normal food — I did in fact venture to the Ratty in search of free food despite Juno’s wrath. Rather, it provides the option of saving both time and money when — and only when — one wishes to. The fact that many enjoy eating, socializing while eating and even preparing and cooking to eat is not an argument against the utility of Soylent. The product is not designed to supplant any of your favorite foods, friends or activities. It is designed to improve your day-today existence. As Rhinehart explained to Colbert, “people can fit it in their lifestyle however they see fit.” And so you should. Unless you’re a wealthy food snob who’s never busy, Soylent can probably benefit you in some way. Yet ironically, it seems to me that many — including most Brown students to whom I’ve spoken — feel too good for Soylent. They enjoy complaining about unhealthful diets and not having enough money and leisure time, yet they offhandedly dismiss a simple solution to all of these problems. It’s too easy to default into habit. If your palate is truly so refined that these problems are not worth solving, then rejection of Soylent will be a matter of intellectual reflection, not visceral distaste. You can never be too proactive in improving the quality of your life.
Andrew Powers ’15 can be reached at andrew_powers@brown.edu.
SPORTS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2015
M. BASKETBALL
Brown welcomes Crimson, Big Green in search of first Ivy win Bruno looks to upset highly-touted Harvard, get back in Ancient Eight title race By CALEB MILLER SPORTS STAFF WRITER
There would be no better remedy for the men’s basketball team’s 0-4 conference start than a win over a rival that has won the Ivy League four years in a row. Bruno will look to do just that when it welcomes Harvard Friday before another league bout against Dartmouth Saturday. The opponents present vastly different tests for the Bears (9-12, 0-4 Ivy), with Harvard ranked second in the Ivy League
and Dartmouth seventh. But with its rocky Ivy start, Bruno needs both wins in order to climb back into conference relevance. Point guard Tavon Blackmon ’17 said the early struggles have not shaken the team’s confidence. “We’re still positive,” Blackmon said. “We’ve had a tough week of practice. We’ve all worked really hard.” Harvard (13-5, 3-1) Head Coach Mike Martin ’04 is still searching to do as a coach what he did so well as a Brown undergraduate: beat Harvard. Martin went 6-2 against the Crimson in four years as Bruno’s point guard, but since trading in his jersey for a suit, he holds a 0-4 record. That does not mean his teams haven’t come close — the
Bears have taken Harvard to overtime in each of the last two meetings in the Pizzitola Center — but the four-time defending Ivy League Champions have been tough to beat in recent years. Preseason predictions expected the Crimson to keep on rolling to a fifth straight title this year, and national pollsters even placed Harvard in the country’s top 25. Some hiccups — an early loss to Holy Cross (8-12, 3-7 Patriot) and a 76-27 dismantling by No. 6 Virginia (20-1, 8-1 ACC) — dropped them from the national spotlight, and their start to conference play has been un-Harvard-like. Dartmouth shocked the Crimson 70-61 in Harvard’s own gym two » See M. BBALL, page 4
DAVID DECKEY / HERALD
Tavon Blackmon ’17 looks to set the offense with Cedric Kuakamensah ’16. The sophomore hopes to provide a spark against tough Ivy competition.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
SQUASH
Junior breaks own 1000-meter record, Bruno 4x400 record in first race of season
to nationallyranked opposition
Willig ’16 enters Brown, Ivy record books in 1,000 and 4x400 Brown falls
By LAINIE ROWLAND SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The track and field season is just underway, but Ned Willig ’16 has wasted no time breaking into the record books. In his first race of the season at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Invitational last weekend, Willig outpaced his own program record of 2:22.35 in the 1,000 meters by nearly a second. His time earned him a spot on the all-time Ivy League Top 10 list. He also led Bruno’s 4x400 relay team to a second place finish, smashing the Brown record by 2.69 seconds and earning another Top 10 Ivy mark in the process. For his speedy, record-breaking performances, Willig has been named The Herald’s Athlete of the Week. Herald: Have you always been a runner? Willig: Yeah. I started running in middle school and have continued since. What do you love about running? I like the competition part. I like the winning aspect of it, I guess. I’ve always kind of had a talent out there more than anything else, so it’s always been
an area where I put work in and get a good reward. My mom and dad both ran in college. When did you realize that talent? I guess high school, that’s when I started to really excel. I started competing in track in middle school. But I’ve always kind of been running, just being around track meets for a long time. How do you train throughout the year? Practice is six, seven days a week. My training’s been a little bit different from the typical runner. They’re usually out there running 60 to 70 — even up to 100 — miles a week. But because I’m a little bit more injury prone, I actually have to do more pool workouts. So I’m in the pool for three days a week, then running more about 20, 25 miles a week. Why did you choose to run at Brown? I just love Brown. When I came here, I liked the academic freedom, obviously. A big thing too was also the coach and the team. Coach Springfield has just been a really great person and a really influential person, as well. He’s been really crucial for my success … so I’m glad I chose Brown, looking back. What’s special about being on the Brown track and field team? The amount of support. Every time
No. 5 Princeton, No. 2 Penn prove too much as men’s, women’s teams go a combined 1-8 By NIKKO PASANEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER KATIE LIEBOWITZ / HERALD
Ned Willig ’16 — who realized a passion for running in middle school — hopes to make it to regionals and nationals in the spring. I’m on the track, there’s just a big corner of Brown people on one side. Then I have the captain (Peter Rhodes ’15) cheering, I always hear him going around. … It means a lot to have everyone out there everyday working hard. It motivates me; it motivates everyone else. I can’t say enough positive things about the team. Any favorite memories from Brown track? Last year with the 4x800 meter relay. It was our Heps Indoor Championships — the track championships for the Ivy League. We were in second the whole way for the first few lengths, and I was able to out-kick Columbia, which has been
our big rival these past few years. It was really rewarding for the team to have that victory. And for myself because I had lost earlier that day to the same person, so it was kind of a comeback. Where do you see running and Brown taking you in the future? The biggest goal right now is just to stay healthy and stay on my feet and see how far that can take me through the spring. I’d like to make it to regionals and nationals. That’s the plan for this year. And then I’d like to have a really good cross country season this fall and have our team be better there. After that, we’ll see. Taking it one day at a time.
W. BASKETBALL
Bears look to carry momentum into road trip north Matchups with fellow bottom feeders Harvard, Dartmouth provide chance to escape Ivy cellar By TANEIL RUFFIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
DAVID DECKEY / HERALD
Rebecca Musgrove ’17 looks for a teammate on offense. The Bears secured their first conference win of the season against Columbia last weekend.
After notching its first conference win in a decisive victory over Columbia last Saturday, the women’s basketball team looks to carry this momentum into the weekend when the squad hits the road to take on Harvard and Dartmouth. Last weekend, the Bears (7-11, 1-3 Ivy) struggled against top-ranked Cornell (12-6, 3-1) but impressively bounced back the next day with solid performances across the board, enabling Bruno to claim its first Ivy win against Columbia
(6-12, 0-4). The Bears must summon the same intensity this weekend, as the coming matchups are guaranteed to be close ones. Bruno is currently in a threeway tie with Harvard (8-10, 1-3) and Dartmouth (10-8, 1-3) for fifth place in the conference. In preparation for the upcoming contests, the Bears have focused on each of their opponents’ specific strengths and weaknesses. “We’ve studied their tendencies, plays and personnel,” said starting guard Rebecca Musgrove ’17. “We focused in on their key players, and I am confident in our matchups. We are well-prepared and ready to battle with both teams this weekend.” The team will make its first stop in Cambridge to take on an » See W. BBALL, page 3
After dominating their opponents last week, the men’s and women’s squash teams faced some stiffer competition this week. The No. 11 women were particularly busy, defeating Williams but falling to four other teams, while the No. 13 men lost all four of their matches. The weekend got off to a promising start for the women (5-6), who kept their momentum rolling in a 7-2 victory over Williams (12-6). Quincy Beck ’18 led the way at the number one slot, coming away with an impressive 11-7, 11-5, 11-0 win. It wasn’t quite as easy for her teammates, who had to fight hard for their matches. At the four and five positions, Mina Shakarshy ’15 and Isabel Scherl ’17 each secured wins in the final game. Captain Alex White ’15 said she was impressed by Beck’s play, calling her one of the best squash players the program has seen in a while. “Beck played amazingly well against Williams,” White said. “She is super athletic and really hard-working.” On the men’s side, the Ephs (11-7) proved to be too much to handle, as they defeated Bruno (5-6) by a final score of 6-3. It was a tough loss for the Bears, as three of their defeats were decided in the fifth and final game. Thomas Blecher ’18, Oliver Booth ’16 and Charlie Blasberg ’18, a Herald sports columnist, recorded victories on the day. Saturday saw the women compete against both Stanford (4-9) and Princeton (8-2). In the early afternoon, it looked like Bruno had a good chance of upsetting the No. 10 Cardinal, but the Bears came up one match short in a 5-4 loss. Bruno got wins from the fourth through seventh slots and was » See SQUASH, page 4