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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD VOLUME CL, ISSUE 16

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

Companies in common good diversify career opportunities Separate fair for careers in the common good expands offerings beyond nonprofits By JOSEPH ZAPPA UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

RYAN WALSH / HERALD

A team of five Minority Peer Counselors has worked since the beginning of the spring semester to produce a multifaceted look at the #BlackLivesMatter movement, culminating in an event Tuesday.

MPC event examines ‘Black Lives Matter’ Workshop aimed to contextualize movement within American history, recent events By SHAVON BELL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Anti-black racism is “harder to see, harder for people to understand, because it’s not written in law,” said Mi-

nority Peer Counselor Jacinta Lomba ’17 Tuesday at “Why #BlackLivesMatter: an MPC Workshop Exploring Anti-Blackness in the United States.” The hashtag was created in 2012 response to the fatal shooting of black teenager Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman in Florida. Its creators — Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi — wanted it to serve as a “call to action” by highlighting acts

of racism in the country. The workshop, which took place in a packed Leung Family Gallery, explored several “racialized forms of social control,” including slavery, Jim Crow, the War on Drugs, the School-to-Prison Pipeline and stopand-frisk policies, said Lomba, one of the event’s organizers. Lomba and MPCs Jieyi Cai ’17, Jovaun Holmes ’17, Maya Finoh ’17 » See WORKSHOP, page 3

Employers from 81 organizations will ascend College Hill Wednesday at noon to recruit students for summer internships and full-time jobs. The event includes a general career fair in Sayles Hall and a fair for opportunities in nonprofit and service sectors in the Kasper Multipurpose Room. This marks the third consecutive year the University has organized a separate fair for careers in the common good, though it has previously been billed as an event only for nonprofits, said Jim Amspacher, interim director of career services. Forty-one organizations will participate in the event — one more than the count for the general fair. “You don’t have to be a nonprofit to do good work,” Amspacher added, noting that “common good” casts a wider net than nonprofit, enabling the University to invite a greater number of companies that orient toward social change. The University’s decision to provide an alternative venue expressly

for careers in the common good fits into a national trend in college career services’ approach to campus recruitment events, Amspacher said, adding that career offices have turned toward specialized fairs in order to drum up student interest. By holding the common good fair, the University can facilitate successful job searches for students intent on positions in that field, and also “send a strong message to employers that Brown students are interested in internships and jobs that make an impact,” he said. Additionally, the common good fair may dilute the usually high concentration of recruiters from lucrative industries, such as technology, finance and consulting, and will difersify opportunities for students who may not be interested in those fields. “It’s good that they’re expanding into other industries,” said Kat Hsu ’17, adding that students often ask themselves, “If I don’t code, I’m not an engineer and I don’t want to do banking, how am I going to find an internship?” But some students still feel that the career fairs do not cover their professional interests. Sam Hill-Cristol ’17, who intends to concentrate in environmental studies, said he does not plan to attend the event because » See CAREER FAIR, page 2

Huidekoper nominated to Spring theater to provoke dialogue, innovate to feature alumserve on state commission Season written play along with Retiring from longterm post, finance VP to join state commission overseeing I-195 lands By ALIZA REISNER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration, is one of six nominees for the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced last week. The commission recommends and implements new strategies for developing 19 acres of vacant land in Providence previously occupied by the interstate highway. Huidekoper recently announced her retirement after more than a decade of serving as the University’s top administrator in charge of finances. While the nomination did not contribute Huidekoper’s retirement decision, she could not have joined the commission while working at the

INSIDE

University due to several potential conflicts of interest, she said. Her role as executive vice president for finance and administration helped prepare her to act as a commission member, she said, adding that she worked on redeveloping the Jewelry District near the new Alpert Medical School campus in order to attract investment — a task similar to those she could face as a commission member. The nomination process began with a meeting between Huidekoper and Mayor Jorge Elorza, who recommended her to Raimondo, Huidekoper said. Raimondo then reviewed recommendations from Elorza and Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello, D-Cranston, to form a group with the diverse experiences and skills required to develop the vacant land and foster economic growth. Huidekoper said she does not foresee a difficult transition to being a committee member, adding that » See HUIDEKOPER, page 3

well-known classics, dance festival By GABRIELLE DEE

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Shakespeare meets Edward Hopper, a Roman slave chases the girl next door to win his freedom and a Chinese-American woman follows her brother into the underworld in this semester’s array of performances from the Department of Theater Arts and Performance Studies and student performance groups, forming a diverse lineup that mirrors some of the challenging conversations that students face every day on campus. Sock and Buskin’s spotlight this year falls on a version of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” revamped by Jane Nichols, a member of the theater apprentice program faculty and lecturer in acting at the Yale School of Drama. In this rendition, a live jazz

ARTS & CULTURE

band playing 1930s chart-toppers will accompany the original Elizabethan script. “Twelfth Night” runs Feb. 26– March 1 and March 5-8 in the Stuart Theatre. “Shakespeare’s plays are so universal, why not place them in a world I like the sound of?” Nichols said. Edward Hopper’s painting of a classic white-faced, ruffed clown, called “Soir Bleu,” inspired the play’s aesthetic, Nichols said. In the painting, the clown sits isolated from the surrounding cafe, smoking a cigarette and shuffling a pack of cards. The clown’s comedic isolation mirrors the feeling of being at the “edge of the party, holding your coffee when everyone’s having a good time except you,” said Paul Magrave, the publicity and box office coordinator for the TAPS department. The title “Twelfth Night” refers to the last night of the twelve days of celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany. The lively jazz music that penetrates the play reflects a celebration’s “buoyant spirit” and sense of community with others. But slower, more melancholic tones reveal the same loneliness

that Hopper depicts in “Soir Bleu,” Nichols said. Bright accents of color and sharp contrast cut through the play’s intentionally minimal stage set and blackand-white costume palette to create an unsettling atmosphere, Nichols said. The party’s environment “becomes mad.” This dramatic stage set also mirrors the “shimmering distinctions between light and dark” that define Hopper’s painting. “Shakespeare was a humanist,” Nichols said. “His images resonate for all of us in all times.” Sock and Buskin will also present “410: Gone,” written by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig ’05 and directed by Erik Ehn, professor and chair of the TAPS department, April 2-5 and 9-12 in the Leeds Theatre. The semi-autobiographical work started as Cowhig’s senior capstone project. The plot centers on a Chinese-American woman trying to come to terms with her brother’s suicide. “410: Gone” combines opposites — the life and the afterlife — to investigate “what it means to let go of » See THEATER, page 2

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

UNIVERSITY NEWS Brown Employee Appreciation and Recognition Day events highlight dedicated staff members

ARTS & CULTURE Exhibition at Watson Institute showcases comics that mix Arab and Western culture

COMMENTARY Khleif ’15: Focusing on perfect grades causes stress and obscures the value of learning

COMMENTARY Ha ’18: University’s financial aid policies neither meet students’ needs nor live up to its ideals

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ARTS & CULTURE

PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

» THEATER, from page 1 someone you love,” Margrave said. The piece examines both Western and Chinese death culture, taking its audience on an adventure through the afterlife. Despite the heavy subject matter of death, “410: Gone” is inherently a comedy, and a sense of joy runs through the piece, Margrave added. The “digital and analog world” also come together in the play, which treats the well-known arcade game Dance Dance Revolution as a metaphor for fulfilling a duty to the underworld. Sock and Buskin will wrap up the semester with “Festival of Dance,” directed by Julie Strandberg, senior lecturer in TAPS. The production pulls together many different styles of dance, as well as students, professionals and performers from various states, Margrave said. At Gilbert and Sullivan, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” explores works outside the classic playwrights’ domain. The play, directed by Paul Martino ’17 and music directed by Jeff Ball ’17, runs April 10-12. Though “Forum” is not a Gilbert and Sullivan play, its content remains faithful to the Gilbert and Sullivan style, said Emma Dickson ’16, president of Brown University Gilbert and Sullivan. A classic Stephen Sondheim Broadway comedy, “Forum” follows a slave in ancient Rome whose master strikes a deal with him: If the slave can

» CAREER FAIR, from page 1 he doubts participating would be particularly productive for his job search. Instead, Hill-Cristol may go to an allIvy environmental sustainability and development fair at Columbia — organized in part by Brown — later this month, he said. But students need not travel to

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

successfully seduce the girl living next door, he wins his freedom. The play stays true to Gilbert and Sullivan’s subtle humor, adding a heightenend physical dimension to the style through exaggerated masks and boisterous actions, Martino said. The challenges of directing a play about a Roman slave written before Shakespeare’s reign in England lie in adapting the script to be more socially sensitive and tailoring it to be pertinent to a modern audience, he added. Dickson said she looks forward to seeing BUGS tackle a more contemporary production, while retaining the hallmarks of Gilbert and Sullivan plays. Meanwhile, on Young Orchard Avenue, Production Workshop plans to transform the downspace into “The House of Bernarda Alba” March 6-9. Federico García Lorca’s hour-long play, directed by Sam Keamy-Minor ’16, will focus on issues of gender and sexual orientation as well as the stigmas that accompany them, said Keston McMillan ’17. An art gallery installation will in turn take over the upspace, complementing themes of the production, McMillan added. This season’s diverse spread of controversial topics creates a balanced season with wide appeal that reflects conversations buzzing throughout campus, Margrave said. “Most of these pieces, at their heart, are tackling a difficult conflict or conversation,” he added. “They’re mechanisms for conversation and dialogue.”

The first six plays of the spring production season bring themes of social conflict, love and self-reflection to the forefront of the audience members’ minds.

New York to explore opportunities outside the most popular industries for recruitment, Amspacher said. “Students interested in education, the arts, activism, international development, service, public health, the environment, affordable housing, microfinance and immigration should come to the fair, because they’re all covered tomorrow,” he added.

Both Hill-Cristol and Hsu also mentioned that the intimidating prospect of approaching potential employers with a resume may deter students from attending the fair. Because Amspacher and his colleagues at CareerLAB have heard that concern before, CareerLAB offers workshops and makes preparatory materials available online and

BRITTANY COMUNALE / HERALD

in print, he said. Alums’ presence among the recruiters Wednesday might also mitigate students’ trepidation in approaching them, Amspacher said, adding that 39 alums will join the general career fair and 14 will join the common good fair. Alums will be distinguished by a ribbon on their nametags.

For students who do not have time to prepare before the event, Amspacher offered a sentence-long crash course: “Dress business casual, grab the guide at the front door … take a couple minutes to read it, walk up to the table, introduce yourself and ask some questions. And make sure you get the rep’s contact info so you can follow up.”

UNIVERSITY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» WORKSHOP, from page 1 and Taylor Ross ’17, created and presented the workshop. During the workshop, the organizers encouraged attendees to reflect on their view of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and the place of that view within the larger Brown community. They also stressed the importance of placing recent events such as the killings of Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin in a broader context of the history of racism. “It’s very easy today to say that we live in a post-racial society, (that) ‘we have a black president, therefore these murders do not have anything to do with race,’” Cai said. “We’re trying to show that it has everything to do with race.” The workshop contextualized the #BlackLivesMatter movement not only within history, but also within the politics of gender and sexuality. The team asked attendees if they believed that certain voices are often overshadowed within the movement, citing examples of violence against black women and black individuals who identify as gay or lesbian. The five MPCs wanted to remind attendees that “everyone has a stake in” anti-black racism, Finoh said. Lomba echoed this sentiment, noting that “Anti-black racism is the foundation of racism in the United States. Blackness is, at its core, what racism works against. All other racial groups are connected to it in that way.” Cai said, “I’m not a black person, I have light skin privilege. … We can fight for the liberation of all beginning with this most fundamental acknowledgement, that anti-black racism is so deeply ingrained in American society.” Ross said she views events like the workshop as starting points for open dialogues on race, adding that universities should work to ensure that a diverse range of student experiences are heard and understood. With this in mind, the organizers made an effort to include much dialogue amongst attendees. The event featured opportunities for students to speak to those next to them, partake in large group discussions and listen to shared experiences from attendees who identify as black. The workshop was proposed in the spring, when all MPCs submit ideas for workshops and five

RYAN WALSH / HERALD

Minority Peer Counselors said they designed Tuesday’s workshop on the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter and anti-black racism in the United States with the goals of sparking further dialogue on race and encouraging students to take action against prejudice. proposals are selected, Lomba said. The MPCs began preparing for the workshop when they returned from winter break, conducting research and holding frequent meetings, she said. The event resurfaced questions of administrators’ handling of the protest and shutdown of a planned lecture on campus by former New York City Police Department Ray Kelly on campus last spring. Looking ahead, Finoh said she

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for planning and policy, planned to retire from her post prior to her nomination for the commission.

would like to see “student groups and administration at Brown be more active in … acknowledging that antiblackness does exist.” Cai critiqued the administration’s treatment of the protestors, adding that “How the University handled that showed that clearly there were certain priorities that were not in line with student well-being.” Lomba classified the University’s responsibility regarding racial dialogues as two-fold: interpersonal, with

forums and workshops, and structural, in terms of decisions made in department funding and diverse hiring practices. She noted the recently released list of proposed books for the First Readings Program for the class of 2020 as a significant step forward in racial dialogues on campus. One of the proposed texts is Michelle Alexander’s book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.” A group of undergraduates

» HUIDEKOPER, from page 1

Bready ’99 MD’03, president and CEO of the life sciences company Nabsys, will join the six nominees as the only returning commission member. The other five nominees are Joseph Azrack, owner of the investment and advisory firm Azrack and Company, Robert Davis, former partner in the law firm Goulston and Storrs, Melissa Husband, executive director of Community Action Partnership of Providence, Edwin Santos, chairman of the Board of Prospect CharterCARE and Sandra Smith, a former consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. At this time, it is hard to predict the committee’s first steps, since the nominated members have not yet been confirmed or met as a group in an official capacity, Huidekoper said.

she has “been involved in several volunteer opportunities while working at Brown.” Colin Kane, the former chair of the commission who resigned last week, favored a free-market approach to developing the land made available by the relocation of I-195, Rhode Island Public Radio reported Feb. 4. Conversely, Raimondo hopes to implement a government-supported strategy to encourage growth. “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. The six nominees have yet to be confirmed in their positions. Barrett

pushed to add the book to the University’s list of nominations last semester. The students wrote in a column in Bluestockings Magazine at the time that Alexander’s book is particularly salient given recent events like the Martin and Brown shootings. It is “exciting to think that this might be the book that kicks off the four years that the incoming class at Brown will have,” Lomba said. “Brown has the power to make that decision. We hope that it does.”

UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

This Week in Higher Ed BY CAROLINE KELLY, UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

Dartmouth plans sexual assault initiative

BRITTANY COMUNALE / HERALD

The BEAR Day ceremony, held in Salomon 101 Tuesday, included a speech by President Christina Paxson P ’19 in which she thanked employees for their service and accomplishments.

Dartmouth will implement a mandatory four-year sexual assault awareness and prevention program for all students this fall that emphasizes education and bystander awareness, the Dartmouth reported Thursday. The program will draw from existing resources focused on sexual assault education, such as the Dartmouth Bystander Initiative. Its goal is to ensure students have both introductory and in-depth understandings of issues related to sexual assault, multiple administrators told the Dartmouth. Student feedback will play a major role in designing the program. “We want to utilize the students’ knowledge, experiences and inputs as we develop this program,” Amanda Childress, a program coordinator, told the Dartmouth. “It’s important for students to know that they will be part of this, because we want this to be really inclusive.” Program developers aim to incorporate concepts relevant to all students across class years. “The experiences students have coming in change as they progress through their time at the College, so we need a program that adapts with students and their understanding of the issues they might be having,” Shanet Hinds, outreach and communications chair of the Student Presidential Committee on Sexual Assault, told the Dartmouth.

Harvard explicitly bans professorundergrad sexual relations

BRITTANY COMUNALE / HERALD

Staff members who have devoted several years to the University gather onstage at the ceremony. Staffers won awards in categories including citizenship, diversity, efficiency, innovation and service.

Ceremony recognizes staffers’ achievements At annual BEAR Day ceremony, 38 staffers receive Excellence Awards of up to $2,500 By ALEKSANDRA LIFSHITS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

More than 500 University employees, students and community members gathered in Salomon 101 Tuesday to celebrate the achievements of staff members at the annual Brown Employee Appreciation and Recognition Day. President Christina Paxson P’19 rewarded 38 staff members with Excellence Awards of $2,500 in a variety of categories, including citizenship, diversity, efficiency, innovation, managing for excellence, rising star and service. A university is one of the most complex organizations in existence, second only to the government, said Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration, in her welcoming speech. It enables various individuals to work in harmony to create a “complex, diverse

and soulful community,” she said. Paxson expressed her gratitude to staff members in her speech, thanking them for their patience, flexibility and commitment to the University’s mission. “BEAR Day is in February every year — a time when the most sensitive bears are in hibernation, but all of you continue to help keep Brown moving even when circumstances get tough,” she said. The ceremony featured a video of the recipients’ reflections on their awards and experiences at the University, complemented by a few comical slow-motion dances and bloopers. Paxson recognized all staff members who have worked at the University for more than five years by asking them to stand up. Staff members who have worked for more than 30 years then came onto the stage, eliciting loud cheers and applause from the audience. A student’s success in academics, extracurricular activities or sports is reflective of the staff ’s work, Paxson said. “This is a team effort.” “I am so honored to be recognized with an Excellence Award because it

represents not only my work, but the collective work of Brown Emergency Medical Services,” said Amy Sanderson, manager of safety and EMS. Sanderson won one of several Excellence Awards for Innovation for creating a new operating model in which student EMTs can achieve leadership positions. “I am merely the shepherd of this outstanding group of students,” she said. BEAR Day is an event that all staff members appreciate and enjoy, said Karen Scanlan, director of public health communications, who won the Excellence Award for Service. The ceremony was followed by a reception in Sayles Hall with refreshments and a live band. Other BEAR Day events this week include a Wednesday lecture entitled “Understanding Dogs” presented by Ruth Colwill, professor of cognitive, linguistic and psychological sciences and tours of the University’s greenhouse and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum. The Brown Bookstore will also offer a 20 percent discount on merchandise specially marked “Celebrating BEAR Day.”

Sexual relationships between faculty members and students have been officially prohibited at Harvard, the Washington Post reported Thursday. The ban did not result from a particular instance of such a relationship, but rather from the lack of formal codification of the rule, Alison Johnson, Harvard history professor and leader of the panel that established the policy, told the Post. “We’re using this opportunity to reaffirm our priorities as teachers … and to imagine what we’re seeing when we’re looking at these students, and what we’re not seeing,” Johnson told the Post. “We’re not seeing potential romantic partners. We are seeing students.” The ban applies only to students and professors in direct interaction through teaching and grading, the Post reported. “I like to think of it not as telling students who they may not have sex with … but telling faculty who they may not have sex with,” Johnson added. Meetings with students, professors and other community members produced valuable discussion and insight, with some faculty members expressing concern about needless monitoring of private life, the Post reported. The ban comes in the midst of several sexual assault cases pending under Title IX and follows Harvard’s plans to reassess its sexual assault policies.

Shooting at USC deemed murder-suicide Investigators determined that a shooting Thursday resulting in multiple deaths at the University of South Carolina was a murdersuicide, the State reported Thursday. The identities and potential USC affiliations of those involved have yet to be released, though State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry said “there was no active shooter other than the two deceased” in a statement that afternoon. Several students told the State that the shooting occurred in a room on the fourth floor of a research building. The university sent a campus-wide text alert that afternoon urging community members to “seek safe shelter” as the campus went into lockdown, the State reported. City, county and state police closed nearby streets and put up yellow caution tape. Though an all-clear was announced later in the afternoon, USC police recommended students remain in the Darla Moore School of Business, a nearby campus building. Campus officials also canceled all undergraduate public health classes as well as classes at the Arnold School of Public Health for the rest of the day.

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

trooping in the snow

SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Gnocchi BLUE ROOM Mediterranean Pocket Soups: Hearty Country Vegegable, Tomato Florentine, Baked Potato

ANDREWS COMMONS Pizza: Honey Boo Boo, Mushroom Madness, Thai BBQ Chicken

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Cajun Spiced Chicken Sandwich, Pesto Seafood Pasta

Grecian Style Beef, Sauteed Spinach with Cherry Tomatoes, Boston Cream Pie

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Tacos, Vegan Roasted Vegetable Burrito, Mac and Cheese Bar, Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

Bourbon BBQ Chicken, Jamaican Tofu Stir Fry, Beets in Orange Sauce

sudoku

BRITTANY COMUNALE / HERALD

Bundled up against the cold under Soldiers’ Arch, a tour group learned Tuesday about student life and academics at Brown while getting a taste of frigid Providence winters.

comics Ampersand | Wasita Mahaphanit ‘18

RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Los Angeles Times Puzzle c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Audio problem 4 Finish paying a bill, perhaps 10 Controlled 14 Radio host Glass 15 Ethically indifferent 16 Adidas rival 17 *Motown Records founder 19 Baptismal basin 20 Spanish royalty 21 Oceanic reflux 23 Jessica of “Dark Angel” 24 *Cubs broadcaster known for singing along with “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch 27 Mental grasp 29 McCain or McCaskill: Abbr. 30 Tummy muscles 32 Circular gasket 34 Time at the inn 38 Shad eggs 39 Biblical trio ... and a homophonic hint to the answers to starred clues 42 Have a mortgage, e.g. 43 Send to the canvas 45 Graceful swimmers 46 Pull down 47 Dorm monitors, briefly 50 Windpipe, e.g. 52 *“That’ll Be the Day” singer 56 Grand Forks locale: Abbr. 59 “It’s finally clear to me” 60 Accustom 61 Sushi option 62 *Longtime “60 Minutes” closer 66 Follow, or follower 67 Listen to, as a podcast 68 Bearded beast 69 Suburban street liners 70 Physical jerks 71 Blather

DOWN 1 Heavenly scales 2 Spinning 3 *“The [52-Across] Story” Oscar nominee 4 Big name in chips 5 Texter’s “Unbelievable!” 6 Icky stuff 7 Rink legend Bobby 8 Sound system control 9 Spacecraft datacollection passes 10 Lounging robes 11 To have, in Le Havre 12 Lavin or Blair 13 Swabby’s chum 18 Gather 22 Abbr. in ancient dates 24 Mata __ 25 Words before and after “is still” in “As Time Goes By” 26 Time extension? 28 Garage service 30 Storied vessel 31 Flapper’s wrap 33 Google Apps component

35 *“Football Night in America” analyst 36 Knock the socks off 37 Still 40 Professor ‘iggins 41 Sydney is its cap. 44 Tough times 48 Writer Rand 49 Young pigs 51 Latin word on a cornerstone

52 Please, in Potsdam 53 Same as always 54 Jeans material 55 Come clean 57 Place for matches 58 Light a fire under 60 Charged atoms 63 Genes material 64 “I’m listening” 65 Grand Canyon viewing spot

P-Branes and Bosons | Ricky Oliver ‘17

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

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calendar

02/11/15

TODAY

TOMORROW

12:00 P.M. SPRING CAREER FAIR

11 A.M. VALENTINE’S DAY CANDY GRAMS

More than 90 employers will come to campus to meet with students about internships and full-time job opportunities. Sayles Hall

The Brown Alzheimer’s Activists will sell candy grams for students’ friends and significant others. The candy grams will be deposited in mailboxes on Valentine’s Day. J. Walter Wilson

12:00 P.M. BLACKNESS AND POLICE POWER LECTURE

Tryon Woods, professor of crime and justice studies, black studies and Afrcana studies at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth will speak about blackness and policing. George Houston Bass Performing Arts Space

12 P.M. “THE KOREAN WAR IN COLOR: RACE, NATION AND THE INTIMACIES OF CONFLICT” LECTURE

Daniel Kim, associate professor of English, will present his book in progress, which examines American and South Korean depictions of the Korean War. Brown/RISD Hillel

6:00 P.M. FAVELA POLITICS AND DEMOCRATIZATION IN RIO DE JANERIO

02/11/15

Bryan McCann, associate professor of history at Georgetown University, will speak about Brazilian politics. Joukowsky Forum, Watson Institute

6:30 P.M. INTERNATIONAL ALUM PANEL

Panelists will share the challenges of working in the U.S. after being an international student at Brown, as well as tips for navigating that journey. Maddock Alumni Center

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORIAL

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Work out the facilities

ROTC members welcome but not superior

Iced-over sidewalks, blistering winds and layers of snow residue spell disaster for any type of outdoor physical activity. In the winter months, exercising often requires flocking to Brown’s gyms, where one can lift weights or run comfortably in a safe environment. The University has four gyms that students can use: the Jonathan Nelson ’77 Fitness Center, the Bear’s Lair in Graduate Center and other satellite fitness centers in Emery-Woolley and Keeney Quadrangle. Since the Nelson opened in spring 2012, it has received terrific reviews from students, with its modern aesthetic, first-rate equipment and pool, as well as its ever-expanding services. The athletic facility has proven so popular among students and community members with memberships that, according to the Department of Athletics’ strategic plan, the University plans to spend $150,000 annually from 2015 to 2019 by way of an equipment replacement plan. The superlative facilities and attention to detail at the Nelson stand in stark contrast to the increasingly deplorable conditions of the other satellite fitness centers. These facilities are characterized by broken treadmills, ellipticals and bicycle machines, as well as missing weights, and have received little to no attention from the Athletic Department. As there is no permanent staff at any of these locations, it can be days before sanitary towel wipes are replenished or the Athletic Department is informed of broken equipment. This is not a new issue. A simple stroll through The Herald archives points to “Bears Lair bare without machines” in 2011 or “Satellite gyms lack funding” in 2010. It is clear that these facilities are often the last item on the Athletic Department’s list of priorities. In fact, none of the satellite gyms are mentioned in the Athletic Strategic Plan — further evidence that the department lacks a coherent strategy to address this chronic problem. Concerns about the quality or condition of facilities at Brown are often assuaged by pointing to the deficit or a lack of funding. Certainly the Nelson’s construction would not have been possible without the considerable donation of Jonathan Nelson ’77 P’07 P’09 and the additional revenue brought in by community memberships. For the past five years, however, students have paid an annual $64 recreation fee and been entitled to at least decent, if not impressive, athletic facilities. Properly maintaining these spaces would cost less than adding more machines to the Nelson or constructing new athletic facilities, but it would undoubtedly make a world of difference. In these bitterly cold Providence days, a trip to the northeast side of campus can be a considerable trek for students interested in working out. But no student should be forced to undertake the journey due to the deficiencies in the closest satellite facilities. Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editors, Alexander Kaplan ’15 and James Rattner ’15, and its members, Natasha Bluth ’15, Manuel Contreras ’16 and Baxter DiFabrizio ’15. Send comments to editorials@ browndailyherald.com.

To the Editor: Many commentators have accused Peter Makhlouf ’s ’16 polemic opinion piece “ROTC: Return of the criminals” of being logically unsound and overly generalized. However, a real concern about the piece is the lack of formal reasoning for an anti-war ethos on campus. Being a pacifist is not a feather in the cap for liberal hipsters. It is a refusal to allow the state to abstract violence committed against other people and nations. It is a belief that no human has the right to cause another human being pain or suffering. The engaged, anti-war members of the community

ought to welcome ROTC members, for they are students like everyone else here, excited to engage in the pursuit of knowledge. But despite the integrated sense of community, ROTC members must be willing to engage with an extreme irreverence toward the justification of war that I and many other pacifists share. Walking through Faunce House in army fatigues does not immediately elevate the wearer from the scholastic rabble nor should the wearer expect absolute respect for the military institution they represent. Joey DiZoglio ’15

Liberally educated military would save lives To the Editor: Following Peter Makhlouf ’s ’16 Feb. 5 column “ROTC: Return of the criminals,” several issues warrant careful scrutiny. Even if one truly despises the military and regards it solely as a vehicle of destruction, oppression and suffering, the country will always need an organization devoted to national defense. As unconventional warfare becomes more common, even the military’s staunchest critics should want liberally educated, culturally sensitive officers among those advising elected officials about security policy and, just as importantly, performing ground-level diplomacy like meeting with tribal elders in the Middle East to implement counterinsurgency measures. Atrocities and civilian casualties are an inevitable, albeit unfortunate, reality of armed conflict for all parties involved, not just the United States. The only way to eliminate atrocities is to avoid any situation with the potential for social, cultural or political tension. The potential for atrocities will continue to exist as long as human beings inhabit the earth. It is not the policy of the United States Armed Forces to commit atrocities. Liberally educated military leaders may help policy makers formulate better approaches to conflict

resolution, including those that are not contingent upon force. But the military does much more. As an Air Force Pararescueman, I have been exposed to the military’s extensive training and unparalleled capabilities. I have seen lives saved and humanitarian assistance provided firsthand in remote, austere environments. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to respond to natural disasters in the United States in areas accessible only by helicopter, as well as to provide critical care to civilians all over the world whose medical conditions were unrelated to hostile action from any group, sometimes at great personal risk. My colleagues in Florida were among the first health care and technical rescue providers to reach Haiti following the earthquake there several years ago. Blanket accusations of criminal behavior directed at the military only serve to suppress intelligent discussion and are far below the level of discourse expected from an institution of Brown’s caliber. I concede that integrating ROTC onto Brown’s campus while maintaining the University’s academic and social identity is no simple endeavor. But partisanship and emotional leanings should not interfere with legitimate debate. Doug Kechijian ’02

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

As, Bs and Cs of academia

ZEIN KHLEIF opinions columnist

Everyone at Brown gets As. At least, that’s what my international relations TA told me. That morning, our professor had handed back our midterm research papers. Having earned a B+ on the short essay before it, I had spent days navigating the longer and more difficult prompt she had distributed in efforts to improve what was already, in my opinion, an admirable grade. As countless students do, I hunched over my computer and pieced together my argument until my eyes grew so tired that I could no longer make out the words on my screen. Immediately after receiving my graded paper, I flipped to the last page in search of that holy letter. Another B+ was sitting there waiting for me scrawled in small letters by a black ballpoint pen. Amidst dozens of short check marks, there were comments of “good!” and “theory was very strong” — something I am proud of, having never taken an international relations course before. Yet my analysis was too long, and thus my paper was not A-worthy — plus or minus. Knowing one of the final assignments of the class was a 15-page research paper, I decided to meet with

my graduate TA to review the material and see how I could push myself further and improve. “Don’t worry, everyone at Brown gets As,” was the response I received. Since I had met with my TA because I had not, in fact, earned an A, I went home embarrassed and unsure of how to feel. Though it was not the first time I had heard this sentiment at Brown — and I have been here three-and a-half years — it was the first time I had heard it from the mouth of an instructor. So that makes it true, right? It means that a B+ just isn’t good enough.

how much money they were spending to sponsor my “mediocrity.” Most of my freshman and sophomore year I was either in the library or in my dorm room, always working and rarely socializing enough outside of my extracurriculars to establish meaningful friendships. While there were many personal factors to my unhappiness at Brown, my inability to feel academically adequate was fueled by extensive comments from friends and schoolmates. And now, I suppose, by TAs. When studying for a political science exam last semester, a friend suggested we team-up with a partic-

look good on my resume.” A student sitting next to me in my VISA class sophomore year neurotically voiced her worries about receiving a B: “I have to go to Harvard. I have to go to Harvard Law. I cannot get a B. I cannot get a B in ART.” She ended up making it to Harvard, but I wonder at what cost. Or does the cost not matter if one is able to reach the next step in the hopscotch game of “success”? I recognize that not all Brunonians are like this. And I do not mean to berate the students that are, as I have certainly taken on this persona. There are students who go to

It is okay to be at Brown for self-betterment and exploration — for happiness. For the majority of my time at this university, I have felt like an academic failure. It is difficult for me to type out because I know it sounds absurd. I have never gotten below a B, and even if I had, that does not constitute “academic failure.” But I have still felt a resounding guilt that anything below an A is stamped on my transcript. Thoughts of my family’s bank account scurried their way into my head. Despite being lucky enough to have nothing but supporting and loving parents, I used to feel ashamed at

ular student because “she doesn’t do Bs.” Another friend, whom I dearly love and recognize as one of the most brilliant and well-rounded people I have ever met, told me that Brown is too easy. He stated that he has rarely felt challenged by his classes and it shocks him that people don’t get As on everything. With the senior job hunt in progress, I have classmates who have taken positions with organizations serving underprivileged communities, such as Teach For America, because they are “prestigious positions that

great law schools while maintaining healthy lifestyles as undergraduates. I have friends committed to Teach For America because they genuinely want to share their knowledge. I am not here to undermine the achievements of others or to pass judgement on whether they deserve them. I am simply here for the open curriculum and to pursue my passions, to enhance my knowledge and to cultivate friendships. But somewhere along the way I forgot that. Last semester, I had forgotten that despite getting a B+ on my midterm

paper and being disregarded by my TA, I learned a lot in that IR class. And I wrote papers that, when rereading, I am proud of to this day. My efforts are always my greatest, and my devotion to my schoolwork and activities is never disingenuous. But I have allowed dismissive comments, anxiety-filled peers and my own perfectionism to overrule that. I have forgotten that I love to learn, that I should appreciate where I am and that it is okay to be in college for the sake of learning, not just to please my peers and miserably carry out my college career living up to a standard that I find both unhealthy and unattainable. It is okay to be at Brown for self-betterment and exploration — for happiness. And I do not think I am the only one who has forgotten that grades do not always come first. My final grade in that IR class? B+ — or B as my transcript will show. And if it’s true that everyone gets As like my TA said and that I am the only one who doesn’t, fine. I will continue to give the best effort I can give. But my goal for my last semester will be to be proud of my effort, not solely its outcome.

Zein Khleif ’15 is independently concentrating in political psychology. She can be reached at zein_khleif@brown.edu.

Is Brown a real lemon? DAVID HA opinions columnist

From the standpoint of an outsider, Brown has many unique and attractive features. It seems to have liberal academic, social and financial traits that are drastically different from those of other institutions: the open curriculum, the progressive student body and the University’s promise to meet 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for domestic first-year applicants, respectively. Perhaps this is why the University’s applicant pool grows in size every year. On the surface, it appears that Brown students are free to explore diverse academic fields without much financial concern while socializing with their open and humanitarian peers. Dreams come true right here on — or near — the Main Green, regardless of who you are or where you are from. From the outside, Brown is truly glittering. But there is a different story when considered from an insider’s perspective. The highly-praised open curriculum sometimes leads to a shallowly educated student body. Meanwhile, supposedly liberal and open-minded Brown students often become restrained by some of their preconceived ideals, building rude and intolerant attitudes towards certain viewpoints. I hope to discuss these two issues in future columns. But for this piece, I focus on the financial aspects of the University that may differ from the expectations of outsiders. First, the University’s promise to “meet 100 percent of demonstrated need,” as stated on its website for financial aid for first-year applicants, is often a fallacious advertisement. The slogan remains true only within the University’s own inter-

pretation of “demonstrated need.” What the government calculates to be a student’s demonstrated need often differs from what Brown calculates — and mostly, the latter is the less generous of the two. Brown is already known for its efforts to conserve funds in terms of financial aid for students. Data gathered by The Herald suggests that, on average, students receive less in University scholarships in comparison with Ivy League peers. This, in part, may be attributed to the University’s relatively small budget. But upon further investigation, we can find more aspects that contribute to the un-leveling of the playing field. The $2,600 in summer earnings that the University expects from the Class of 2018 could be considered one of them. While I do believe that

underprivileged students. But the operating budget deficit is rising every year to compensate not only for the growing amount of aid to students, but also for increased spending in many other areas — the deficit rose roughly 58 percent from $5.5 million in fiscal year 2013 to $8.7 million in fiscal year 2014. Consequently, students are financially burdened even before stepping foot on their career paths. This creates an incessant loop of troubles. The University’s small budget forces it to offer more opportunities and resources for the wealthy in order to grow the endowment, and the underprivileged students lose even more opportunities for social mobility. Brown no longer looks so pretty, does it? What is perhaps the most problematic is

We need to stop lying to others, and — more importantly — to ourselves about the greatness of Brown. this policy can help students in various ways, it certainly does not go along with the University’s guarantee to fulfill students’ financial needs. There are many additional aspects — such as legacy admission — that hint at the importance of wealth within our campus. There are many factors that benefit those with money and harm those without. This is a double-edged sword. While this makes admission more of an inheritance than something justifiably earned, students still tend to prioritize financial aid over everything else, according to the Undergraduate Council of Students’ fall 2014 poll. This obviously requires more money. Brown’s strategy to increase the size of the endowment could be justified, if it is to support

the lack of transparency — transparency in the school’s environment, academia and finances. Problems become diseases when we conceal and hide them. Surmounting the problems related to income inequality and its timeless consequences through generations will be impossible if we blindly declare that all is well. Though Brown may seem so perfect and peaceful from outside, many of us are aware of the complaints and noises rising from the heart of the institution. This may be attributed to many factors, like the lack of leadership, ineffectual investment or inefficient management of the budget. At a more concrete level, the University should avoid relying on short-sighted financial tactics. Starting more group-specific programs or social

work could lead to changes at a local level, but that still would not eradicate the deep-seated origins of injustice. We need to take steps closer to the root of the problem. We need to stop lying to others, and — more importantly — to ourselves about the greatness of Brown. We need to stop believing that all of our actions are ideal and correct. We need to stop attracting students with misleading phrases like “100 percent.” What we must first do is reconfigure what makes Brown unique, different from others. It is not necessary for the University to make a promise to “meet 100 percent of demonstrated need,” because unrealistic words should never define who we are. If we, as a community, begin prioritizing honesty and transparency, perhaps that “100 percent” can be met not solely in financial terms, but also through academic and social means. This would allow us to construct a community — and furthermore a society — where selflessness, honesty and transparency are respected and cherished. All that glitters is not gold — Brown may seem to be glittering, but as of now, it does not seem to be purely golden. But it does not really matter. We do not have to be golden or be the creme de la creme of all institutions. When was being at the top of the list part of our spirit? Brown should not be condemned simply for its errors and mistakes — in fact, there are no institutions without imperfections. But what should be more emphasized is working together to construct our own unique style and character, clearly outlining what ideals we, as a community, must embrace.

David Ha ‘18 can be contacted at woosuk_ha@brown.edu.

ARTS & CULTURE THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015

BRITTANY COMMUNALE / HERALD

The Arab comic exhibition features familiar characters from Western culture, such as Mickey Mouse, Superman and Tintin, as well as images that people in the United States may not recognize. Organizers of the exhibition hope the images will help paint a more complex picture of Middle Eastern culture than the stereotypes prevalent in the United States.

Comic exhibition illuminates Arab culture through cartoons ‘Arab Comics: 90 Years of Popular Culture’ subverts popular characters, resists stereotypes and oppression By CAROLYNN CONG STAFF WRITER

Youthful characters mingle with starker images of violence in the comics that line the walls along the second floor of the Watson Institute for International Studies. Colorful images of Mickey Mouse adorned in lavish Arabic garments and headdresses create an aura that is distinctly familiar yet rich with Arabic culture. The “Arab Comics: 90 Years of Popular Visual Culture” exhibition is on display Feb. 1 to March 15. The curation features Arabic comics crafted as early as the 1950s and as recently 2012. Sarah Tobin, associate director of Middle East studies, said she hopes the exhibition will give spectators the opportunity to complicate the image of the Middle East that is typically conjured. Replacing many stereotypes of the region, the cartoons bring to life “some amazing images from the 20th century” in an accessible and familiar way, she added. “Comics are perceived as a Western medium” but characters like Mickey Mouse, Tintin and Superman have in fact been present in the Middle East since the 1920s, said Nadim Damluji, who co-curated the exhibition with his sister, Mona Damluji.

Nadim Damluji said he first became interested in Arab comics after coming across a comic magazine at a book market in Cairo many years ago, adding that his interest has since developed into a passion. He is now a comic book scholar and critic, conducting extensive and in-depth research on the history of comics in Arab countries from the twentieth century to today. He said his favorite comic in the exhibition, entitled “Mîkî” by an unidentified artist in 1964, features 14 images of Mickey Mouse framed by traditional Arabic architecture, each with a different skin tone. The piece overturns the monochromatic Mickey that graces most American televisions. “They are taking something that’s so American and making it Arab,” Nadim Damluji said. Damluji said he hopes the exhibit will disrupt the misconception that comics are strictly a Western product, not only through the children’s comics it features but also through the more contemporary works, which use comics as a medium to express the “tense things in the Middle East that are going on all the time.” Comics allow artists to “tell personal stories about complicated situations,” he added.

The Arab comics provide an unconventional platform for audiences to learn about politics and current events, Tobin said, adding that comics can sometimes represent a satirical way to express opinions and subvert political norms. More contemporary pieces from the Beirut-based comics collective Samandal include a black-and-white work that contrasts with the vibrancy across the hall. The piece entitled “Yogurt and Jam or How My Mother Became Lebanese” by Lena Merhej comprises nine panels that contradict its playful title. Tanks, gunfire and explosions, spread over nine years of violence, set a somber tone. “Within the Arab world, there have been many cases of comics and

illustration used in resisting oppression,” said Fouad Mezher, whose artwork is featured in the exhibit. “The exhibit presents images that most people have never seen from the Middle East,” wrote Mona Damluji, co-curator of the exhibit, in an email to The Herald, adding that the organizers hoped to “pose new questions about the relationship between visual culture, Islam and the Arab world.” Mona Damluji approached the Middle East studies program with the idea for the exhibit and symposium last semester. She wrote that when she approached Beshara Doumani, professor of modern Middle East history and director of Middle East studies, about the idea, he was “immediately enthusiastic as he agreed that very

little has been written or shown in the U.S. to better understand this popular medium.” The Middle East studies department will also host a symposium Feb. 26, which will showcase the comics while featuring artists and scholars from the United States and Lebanon. Nadim Damluji said the symposium will add another dimension to the exhibition, which he hopes will act as a “conversation starter” to promote interest and to familiarize more people with the concept of Arab comics. The exhibition also provides a unique opportunity to “highlight some important activists and artists who might struggle to have their work and contributions recognized so easily,” Tobin said.