SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
VOLUME CL, ISSUE 51
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Gourley ’16 captures UCS presidency In election with 49 percent voter turnout, Bhatla ’16 claims UCS vice presidency By NATALIE FONDRIEST SENIOR STAFF WRITER
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
Damage to the secondary supports that attach to the roof trusses have forced the Department of Facilities Management to close the non-demoninational Manning Chapel for the next few weeks.
Manning Chapel under repair Due to structural damage, student groups forced to relocate to alternative campus location By AGNES CHAN STAFF WRITER
Following the closure of Manning Hall over spring break due to unstable supports, several student groups have been forced to relocate their activities from the non-denominational chapel on the second floor. Engineers with
the Department of Facilities Management found the unstable secondary supports during a structural inspection of Manning Chapel, wrote Stephen Maiorisi, vice president for Facilities Management, in an email to The Herald. The inspection was performed in preparation for a roof replacement project scheduled to take place this summer. During the inspection, engineers discovered that “some of the secondary supports that are attached to the roof trusses to support the ceiling have failed,” Maiorisi wrote,
adding that he believes the damage was “in part due to snow loading on the roof.” Manning Chapel will be closed for the next few weeks as the ceiling is repaired, Maiorisi wrote. The short-term fixes made to the 181-yearold building involve “using modern techniques and materials (screws and metal strapping) to reconnect the ceiling framing to the roof framing,” he wrote. The renovations planned for this summer will still occur, beginning in early June and ending by the » See MANNING, page 2
Sazzy Gourley ’16 won the Undergraduate Council of Students presidency, while Alana Bhatla ’16 claimed the vice presidency, announced UCS Elections Board Chair Heather Sabel ’17 just after midnight Friday on the steps of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center. With 50.5 percent of the vote, Gourley defeated Justice Gaines ’16 and Zachary Nelkin ’17. Gaines garnered 45.2 percent of the vote, and Nelkin earned 2.5 percent. Bhatla, UCS media director and former UCS treasurer, triumphed over Ryan Lessing ’17, chair of the UCS Admissions and Student Services committee, with 75 percent of the vote. Approximately 49 percent of the undergraduate student body — 3,152 students — voted in the election, up from the 2,991 students who hit the polls last year. “This campaign comes as the result of a lot of hard work and a really dedicated team,” said Gourley,
currently UCS vice president and chair of the UCS Outreach and Advocacy committee. “Our goal was to be as inclusive and positive as possible, and I plan to continue that tone throughout my presidency.” UCS needs to focus on “the cultural shift necessary for upcoming policy changes to have their intended effects,” Gourley added. “I’m really proud of the campaign we ran,” said Gaines, a UCS general body member and member of the Task Force on Sexual Assault. “Congrats to Sazzy — he’ll be a great president.” “I’m really just excited for what we can do on this campus and to make sure student voices are heard and student needs are met,” Gaines said, adding, “I will continue with UCS. … I will be taking on whatever role is needed.” Nelkin, a former member of UCS, said he intends to join the UCS general body in the hopes of making the council “more democratic.” Gourley “ran a great campaign,” Nelkin said. “He’ll do a great job.” “I’ve been really excited by how invested everyone has been in UCS during this election, and I hope to continue a lot of the conversations next year on UCS that I’ve been having with students during the » See ELECTIONS, page 3
‘Comedy Tonight’: Musical TAEKWONDO transports crowds to Rome Courtesans, slaves, plebeians sing, dance to Sondheim in night of sexual debauchery By ASHNA MUKHI STAFF WRITER
Light, punny and packed with satire, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” presented by Brown University Gilbert and Sullivan, is sure to send audience members home chuckling. Directed by Paul Martino ’17, the musical features a comically absurd plot, a lively set and talented actors. Set in ancient Rome, the musical displays distinct aspects of contemporary humor, as well as a number of pop culture references. The director’s inspiration for the adapted play — with the music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
ARTS & CULTURE
INSIDE
and the script by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart — came from a form of theater known as “commedia dell’arte,” which loosely translates to “the comedy of craft,” Martino said. The improvisation of this form of theater “allows for such a huge diversity of ideas, which let the characters evolve both verbally and physically,” said Assistant Director Ani Mack ’17. The play opens with a lively song, “Comedy Tonight,” performed by the entire cast. The audience is welcomed by the cacophonous, yet strangely appealing, clash of bright and gaudy costumes and set pieces, made to depict a threehouse neighborhood in ancient Rome. The rampant use of slapstick humor throughout the opening immediately makes it clear that the audience is in for two hours of vaudeville-reminiscent comedy. The musical tells the story of Pseudolus, a slave plotting to gain her freedom » See FORUM, page 3
MARISA VANG / HERALD
“We usually only bring home two trophies, but this time we got all three,” said student instructor Jake Shields ’16. “It was a big deal for us and a strong showing for us as a club.”
Brown wins fifth straight national title
Bears exceed lofty expectations, place second in color belt division, third in black belt division By TANEIL RUFFIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Last weekend, about 30 students from the defending national champion Brown Taekwondo Club traveled to the University of Delaware to compete
in the 40th National Collegiate Taekwondo Association Championships. The team defended its title, tying Cornell for first place overall after finishing second in the color belt division and third in the black belt division. This year’s victories marked BTKD’s fifth consecutive national championship. “We usually only bring home two trophies, but this time we got all three,” said Jake Shields ’16, one of BTKD’s student instructors. “It was a big deal for us and a strong showing for us as
a club.” The national tournament consists of two events: poomsae and sparring. Both categories have color and black belt divisions. In the sparring events, participants are further divided based on gender and weight class, as the competition features a “big emphasis on safety,” said Julia Stevens ’15, another one of the team’s instructors. Brown triumphed over colleges from across the country at the » See TAEKWONDO, page 2
WEATHER
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
UNIVERSITY NEWS Two students win Embark Fellowship for juice startup that uses Vietnamese fruit
ARTS & CULTURE David Foster Wallace biopic depicting author’s reclusive life screens at Ivy Film Festival
COMMENTARY Mitra ’18: Energize R.I. Act could help state make strides in reversing effects of climate change
COMMENTARY Brown Students for Chafee: Lincoln Chafee’s record makes him strong choice for president
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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Student juice venture earns U. fellowship
Lam ’15, Tran ’15 develop juice from Vietnamese superfruit, receive $25,000 to find investors By CATHERINE WALKER-JACKS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
LGBT individuals in China have historically faced difficulties unfamiliar to those in the United States, Li Yinhe said during her lecture Thursday.
Li talks LGBT rights in China Leading expert on sexuality in China discusses differences in Western, Chinese culture By MATTHEW JARRELL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“In this Internet age, any progress made in the West will no doubt also put wind in the sails of the Chinese LGBT communities and their supporters,” Li Yinhe, one of China’s leading scholars on issues of sexuality, told a packed Foxboro Auditorium Thursday. Li’s talk addressed the legal history of homosexuality as well as the legacy of social stigma surrounding it in China. She emphasized the current trend of gay rights activism in the People’s Republic and how similar campaigns in the United States and elsewhere are influencing the movement in China. Educated in both the United States and China, Li retired in 2012 after 20 years of teaching at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. While the legal definition of homosexuality and the penalties prescribed for it have historically been ambiguous and subject to interpretation, public reactions to engaging in homosexual acts have been
unequivocally devastating for LGBT individuals. “Gays in China have been subjected to varying forms of extralegal sanction from the Maoist era to the present day,” Li said. Controversial governmental positions, including the labeling of homosexuality as a mental defect until 2001, have further complicated the lives of LGBT individuals in China. Today, it is unlikely for LGBT individuals to attract legal attention, Li said. Nevertheless, after a law criminalizing sodomy was overturned in 1980, it remained common practice for the police to actively pursue LGBT individuals for the purpose of social shaming. Li quoted one individual she interviewed for a study as saying, “They just try to beat the fear into you.” Audience members posed several questions about the differences in Western and Chinese attitudes toward homosexuality, and an interpreter translated Li’s responses. Li said that while the topic has commanded the attention of the American public and media, it has yet to emerge as a major point of discussion in China. She noted that around 10 to 20 percent of Chinese indicate they hold strong views against » See CHINA, page 4
Last month, XOI Juice, founded by Myron Lam ’15 and Linh Tran ’15, earned one of the Swearer Center for Public Service’s three Embark Fellowships, which support ventures founded by graduating students, said Alan Harlam, director of the Swearer Center’s Social Innovation Initiative. XOI is a juice beverage made from gac, a fruit indigenous to Vietnam that boasts 70 times more lycopene than tomatoes and 10 times more beta-carotene than carrots, Lam said. “Benefits of gac include prostate health, skin health, eye health, heart health, immunity, and it has anti-aging qualities,” Lam said. XOI’s business plan centers on working with ethnic minority communities
» MANNING, from page 1 beginning of the fall semester. Manning Chapel is a popular meeting location for some student groups. Informed the Friday before classes resumed that it was closed, group leaders said they had trouble finding other spaces on campus to hold events. “It’s been a little tough,” said Angela McParland, interim director of the Brown-RISD Catholic Community and associate University chaplain. “We have had to move (the masses), in addition to choir rehearsals, Holy Hour, and that’s just the Catholics. There are lots of other groups that use that space,” she said. The BRCC holds two masses every Sunday, each of which is attended by 200 to 400 people, she added. The damage to Manning Chapel
» TAEKWONDO, from page 1 championship. Some of the schools even had slight advantages over BTKD in terms of recruitment and retention. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Cornell both impose physical education requirements, and students can fulfill the requirement by joining the schools’ taekwondo teams. “It’s a big deal that we do all of our school work, we recruit everybody, we do all of the training ourselves, and despite all those other schools having the advantages we can still manage to come out on top,” Shields said. “That really speaks to the quality of the club and the instruction. I think we have something special.” The lack of a physical education requirement did not seem to set Brown back at all, as BTKD returned to College Hill with six medals from the poomsae competition — five bronze and one silver. The team also raked in 18 medals from sparring. Sarah Deitch ’18, Nathan Malimban ’17, Chris Mescher ’16 and Cheyenne Morrin ’15 secured gold medals in each of their respective divisions. In addition, the team tallied 11 bronze medals and three silver medals. While the medal winners rendered the team’s success readily apparent, several other team members participated
in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam to cultivate and process gac and bring it to the United States as a juice beverage, Tran said. But due to the risk associated with new ventures, Lam and Tran will not work directly with these communities for about five years, instead sourcing their gac from a Vietnamese company. The Embark Fellowship, which is in its pilot year, provides Lam and Tran with direct funding and fundraising opportunities, which combined allow them to work full time on their venture for up to one year, Harlam said. The fellowship functions as a challenge grant: Individuals receive $20,000 toward an ultimate goal of $35,000, while teams receive $25,000 toward $50,000, he said. Crowdfunding campaigns for the fellows begin Friday. Finding the superfruit Lam and Tran were inspired to found XOI after living with the ethnic minority community in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam during summer 2013. The pair wanted to act
to help mitigate inequality between the developed, urban areas of Vietnam and the poor living conditions of the ethnic minority in the Highlands, they said. “We didn’t know exactly what they needed, so we spent some time there to learn about their living conditions, what they want, what their dreams and aspirations are,” Tran said. At that time, Lam and Tran’s homestay mother introduced them to the gac fruit and explained her struggles as a farmer in the region, one of the most underdeveloped in Vietnam. Though Tran, who is Vietnamese, had heard of gac before, she was not aware of its health benefits, as it is traditionally used as food coloring in Vietnam. After their host mother showed them a gac fruit, she and Lam researched it and discovered it is considered a superfruit, Tran said. Their host mother also expressed her dream of becoming a businesswoman but identified two seemingly insuperable obstacles: her inability to manufacture and process raw produce » See XOI, page 4
came at a particularly inconvenient time for Christian members of the Brown community as they prepared for Holy Week. “Last week was Holy Week, the most sacred time of the year for the Christian community, so finding spots for a multitude of services that would not have happened any other week made it a little more complicated than it would have been otherwise,” McParland said. Due to the need for a piano and a guitar, the available spaces for masses are limited to Sayles Hall and Alumnae Hall, McParland said. But the primary concern is whether the space can hold enough people, and the BRCC has been making do without a piano, she said. Students have been flexible with time changes and willing to “jump in at the last second” to facilitate relocation to other spaces, McParland said.
There have also been “unexpected blessings” amidst all of the chaos, she said. In the process of adapting to new locations, BRCC members have experimented with ways of carrying out their activities that they would never have considered in Manning Chapel — ways that have turned out to be “beautiful and wonderful,” she said. While the Brown Meditation Community has faced similar issues, new locations have also been a blessing in disguise, said Robert Weiner ’16, head of BMC. “There’s always someone playing dramatic piano music or some hip-hop dance group rehearsing” in the new spaces, Weiner said. But these spaces have inspired group members to “do more meditations on just being open and learning to rest with equanimity despite whatever sounds and chaos might be going on outside,” he added.
in the tournament but did not manage to win a medal despite impressive demonstrations. Stevens, in one notable example, made it as far as the quarterfinals in the women’s black belt heavy division in the sparring event. “For my fight at nationals, I got one point — the other girl got 13,” Stevens said, adding that her team still enthusiastically cheered for her and was proud of her simply for competing. “The sort of support is ridiculous for me. I’ve never felt anything like it.” This type of camaraderie is almost inevitable for team members who spend so much time together. BTKD is a “huge commitment, but it’s completely worth it,” Shields said. The group starts preparing for the national tournament as early as September, when it gains new members. BTKD operates as a “blend” of a traditional taekwondo school with a curriculum and a competition team. While student instructors play a large role in the education of the club’s members, sixth degree black belt Master Sung Park ’96 also leads the team. BTKD is a member of the Eastern Collegiate Taekwondo Conference, a regional conference that hosts five tournaments each year. Brown taekwondo uses these tournaments throughout the year as preparation for nationals, but training ramps up
during the spring semester. After winter break, the team returns to campus a week early and has three practices a day for the entire week. The practices usually last two to three hours each. “It gets everyone’s spirits riled up because after that they’re like ‘these one-and-a-half hour practices are nothing,’” Shields said. Team members dedicate about eight to 10 hours to practicing taekwondo in the week before the national tournament. For many members, BTKD serves as more than just an athletic pursuit. In addition to training, the team holds on-campus demonstrations, social gatherings and fundraisers for families with children fighting cancer. For Stevens, her time as an instructor helped her discover her passion for teaching. After graduation, she will pursue a Masters of Education at Harvard. “I’ve been doing this for four years now, and it’s really kind of a family for me,” Stevens said. “I live with three other members; we’re always together and supporting each other through whatever we need to do.” “I’ve done a lot of sports teams before and I’ve never really felt that family aspect,” she added. “You know everyone here just wants the best for you.”
ARTS & CULTURE FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
‘End of the Tour’ starts off Ivy Film Festival David Foster Wallace biopic tells story of journalist’s road trip with reclusive author By ANDREW DECK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“The End of the Tour” kicked off the Ivy Film Festival to a packed audience in the Martinos Auditorium Monday. A dramatic subversion of the usual road trip comedy, the film follows a journalist tasked with profiling author David Foster Wallace on the final leg of a book tour. Jason Segel breaks out of buddy comedy tropes to play the late Wallace. Donned in full Wallace garb — bandana and all — Segel’s persona unexpectedly complements the author’s humble intellect. Jesse Eisenberg plays David Lipsky, a Rolling Stone contributing editor and author of the film’s source text, “Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself.” The film opens with Lipsky receiving news of Wallace’s suicide in 2008 and then shifts back to recount the 1996 collision of their personalities. An artistically insecure fiction author, Lipsky is envious of the massive
success of his subject following the release of the prodigious tome, “Infinite Jest.” Wallace, fame-resistant and living a solitary midwestern existence, is unsettled by the degree to which Lipsky controls his public image. Eisenberg and Segel play into these underlying tensions over the course of their week-long road trip. “Tour” is visually simple. The film finds aesthetic value in middling Middle America: barren snow-covered terrains, a row of neon fast food signs, the Mall of America. The setting reflects and reaffirms Wallace’s aspiration to averageness in his personal life. While averageness may not feel like high praise for a film, these images serve their purpose. The simple beauty of the film’s cinematography turns our attention back to the dialogue and the beauty of Wallace’s words. Coming off the success of his previous Sundance film, “The Spectacular Now,” director James Ponsoldt orients the film around the dialogueheavy duet of the film’s protagonists. Much of the dialogue is taken directly from Lipsky’s tape recordings of their conversations. In the vein of Richard Linklater’s “Before” trilogy, these two characters wax poetic on everything from fame and journalistic ethics to
Alanis Morissette and their respective existential crises. While this dialogue is mostly pitter-patter exchanges, the moments when Wallace resists Lipsky’s conversational forays into depression and addiction grow heavy with the knowledge of Wallace’s suicide. By the road trip’s conclusion, the friction between Wallace and Lipsky’s conflicting interests gives heat to a scene of intellectual sparring. This heat dissipates with the film’s uncomfortable and all-too-real conclusion. Lipsky — who Eisenberg portrays with an educated arrogance throughout the film — uses his brush with literary genius to realize his own literary aspirations. But perhaps this end feels slight because the film’s strength comes from Wallace’s presence on the screen. In the end, “The End of the Tour” is an exploration of Wallace’s enigmatic persona, and viewers can count seeing his fear of solitude and struggle with depression personalized as one of the film’s greatest achievements. Once Wallace becomes absent from the film, viewers are left to consider the gravity of his passing. “The End of the Tour” will begin its limited release July 31.
» ELECTIONS, from page 1 campaign,” Bhatla said. “I also want to congratulate Ryan on running a great campaign.” Bhatla will “be great as vice president,” Lessing said. “I ran because I wanted to start a conversation about deeper changes to the way UCS operates. I’ve gotten a great response to that both within UCS and outside of UCS, and I absolutely plan on continuing to work on that.” Lessing, who spearheaded the council’s online feedback forum What to Fix Brown this semester, said he has led a group that has reviewed the council’s structure and will issue recommendations in the next few days. “I’m not planning on going anywhere,” Lessing said. “It’s really fantastic that the voter turnout was as high as it was and that there were as many close races as there were,” he added. Timothy Ittner ’18, Kevin Garcia ’18 and Dara Bernstein ’18 ran
» FORUM, from page 1 by helping her master, Hero, win the hand of Philia, a courtesan in the House of Marcus Lycus. But Pseudolus is hindered from achieving her goal by a streak of comical obstacles. In the events that follow, audience members are greeted by a number of elements characteristic of plays of this type: farces, puns, heavy satire and mistaken identities. They also encounter eclectic characters such as Hysterium, the head slave who is under strict orders from Hero’s parents to “keep (Hero) away from the other sex,” and Miles Gloriosus, a captain to whom Philia is already betrothed. The hilarity of the play peaks during the final scene, in which Pseudolus’ plan is about to fall apart at the seams and the disguised characters are revealed. Anna Stacy ’17, who plays Pseudolus, gives an evocative performance throughout the musical and steals the show with her nuanced facial expressions and unbounded energy. Ross Hegtvedt ’15 also
RYAN WALSH / HERALD
Heather Sabel ’17 and Ryan Bahar ’18 announced the UCS elections results at midnight Friday on the steps of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center. unopposed and were elected chairs of the UCS Academic and Administrative Affairs committee, the UCS Campus Life committee and the UCS Student Activities committee, respectively. Peter Dutton ’18 won chair of the UCS Admissions and Student Services committee over Brandon Le ’18 in an instant run-off election. After two instant run-off elections,
John Brewer ’17 defeated Helen Ding ’18 and Minoshka Narayan ’18 for the position of UCS treasurer. Dakotah Rice ’16 and Faith Moses ’18 ran unopposed to win chair and vice chair of the Undergraduate Finance Board, respectively. Aryan Chhabria ’18, Jordan Ferguson ’17, Florene Frenot ’16, Jeannie Le ’16 and Carolyn Stichnoth ’16 were elected UFB at-large representatives.
stands out as Hysterium by drawing out the high-strung and distressed personality of the character. The directors add a twist to the musical by casting a woman as Pseudolus, who was originally written as a man, and by featuring one of Marcus Lycus’ courtesans as a drag queen. In doing so, they deftly bring to the audience’s attention problematic issues like female objectification and homophobia, which were rampant in many works produced in the mid-20th century. “We chose the show knowing that it would be difficult to present in this environment,” said Martino, “but I think we did a good job of modernizing it and making it more ‘Brown,’” he added. The musical also employs tasteful exaggeration in the dialogue, set pieces and costumes alluding to such problematic issues: The house of Marcus Lycus includes a “peephole” through which the neighbors sneak glimpses of the courtesans, and Marcus Lycus, played by Advik Iyer Guha ’16, swaggers through the set
with a Hugh Hefner-like silk robe and walking stick, speaking with a hilarious drawl throughout the musical. The orchestra, directed by Jeff Ball ’17, plays cheery tunes that add an aspect of playfulness to the entire musical and emphasize the ridiculousness of the chaotic final scene. But the musicians often lag behind the actors, especially during the faster songs in the production. “I hope the audience walks away from the musical feeling completely cathartic,” Martino said, adding that he also wants the audience to realize how different comedy in the mid-20th century was. “Satire is so powerful. It takes horrible beliefs that people have and makes them funny. But it has that double-edged sword in that you feel motivated to change that,” Mack said. “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way the Forum” opens tonight in Alumnae Hall Auditorium at 8 p.m. Performances are scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Admission is free.
ELI WHITE / HERALD
“Sisterhood of Night” was screened prior to a question-and-answer session Wednesday as part of the Ivy Film Festival.
Witch trial-inspired film enchants IFF audiences ‘The Sisterhood of Night’ tells dark story of clandestine network of teenage girls By ANTON MANZANO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Exploring the relationship between paranoia, exclusion and the perilous terrain of adolescent friendship, “The Sisterhood of Night” kept audiences in suspense in its premier Wednesday, the third day of the Ivy Film Festival. The film, written by Marilyn Fu and directed by Caryn Waechter, is set in the quiet town of Kingston, New York and features a modern-day Salem witch trial premise. The story centers on the teenage members of a clandestine network called the Sisterhood of Night led by a girl named Mary Warren, played by Georgie Henley. Emily, a girl who is bitter about her exclusion from the Sisterhood of Night, lies about the group’s activities and posts various blogs and comments to get back at it. After Emily gains over 20,000 followers on her gossip blog, a band of girls begins to side with her, saying they were sexually violated while part of the group. Her fabrications portray the Sisterhood of Night as a sex cult, spurring authorities and family members to press the girls to reveal what they do late at night
REVIEW
in the woods. But the audience remains in the dark about what the group is actually all about until the end of the movie, when one member, overwhelmed by the chaos surrounding the Sisterhood of Night, takes her own life. Emily feels guilty about her role in her classmate’s death and apologizes for her actions. Elizabeth Woodward ’15 and Supreeti Sharma ’15, co-executives of IFF, spearheaded the event. Following the movie, IFF hosted a questionand-answer session with Waechter, Fu, producer Elizabeth Cuthrell and her daughter, Willa Cuthrell-Tuttleman. Willa Cuthrell-Tuttleman portrayed a prominent member of the Sisterhood of Night whose mother was battling cancer. The Sisterhood of Night features a mostly female cast and was directed, produced and written by all women. “We have a commitment for showing films that are made by women, and we have positive representations of women as well,” Woodward said. Sharma also expressed excitement that many women contributed to the film. She added that she found it interesting that the film was funded by Kickstarter, a crowdfunding website, and more than $100,000 was collected to bring the film to the big screen. Ultimately, “The Sisterhood of Night” manages to deliver a well-wrought, if occasionally melodramatic, depiction of female relationships during a transformative period.
Peace Corps at Brown “Girl Rising” Screening and Girls’ Education Discussion
Choose where you want to go. Apply in one hour. Make a difference overseas as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Friday, April 10 | 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Career Lab
Peace Corps peacecorps.gov - 855.855.1961
UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
COURTESY OF MYRON LAM
The seed of the idea for the project was planted after Myron Lam ’15 and Linh Tran ’15 lived in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam during summer 2013. Almost two years later, the venture won the Royce Fellowship.
» XOI, from page 2 or access the markets, which are dominated by middlemen upon whom the farmers rely. “The social mission and the reason we founded XOI is because of these two issues that she described. We wanted to somehow be the bridge between the markets and her agricultural produce,” Lam said. Lam and Tran then decided to create a juice from the gac fruit and founded XOI in hopes of empowering the ethnic minority community, Lam said. Fellowships, mentorships and relationships With the help of funding from the Social Innovation Fellowship and the
» CHINA, from page 2 gay marriage, while another 10 to 20 percent support it, and the rest do not identify with any particular stance. On the other hand, a Pew Research poll from September 2014 found that just 10 percent of all American respondents did not identify with either viewpoint. Li suggested that this trend is related at least in part to the Chinese conceptualization of the family. “The biggest difference is the pressure to get married in China. Many gay people are under pressure to form families because they live in a family-oriented society,” the interpreter quoted Li as saying. A discrepancy in values and political context between the United States and China may explain contrasting attitudes toward homosexuality, Li said. “The community does feel the difference between East and West,” she said. She noted that Chinese people realize that in the United States, street protests centered on these types of social issues are common, whereas in China, public protests are less
Royce Fellowship, two other Swearer Center grants they received last spring, the two returned to Vietnam this past summer, learning more about gac, how it is cultivated and how it is processed. The Social Innovation Fellowship is “a year-long platform to design or build a social impact venture,” Harlam said. The fellowship provides not only a stipend to work on the venture over the summer but also a network of mentors and workshops that build skills and knowledge, he added. The Royce Fellowship “supports students who are doing research that has public usefulness,” Harlam said, adding that fellows receive a stipend for independent projects over the summer and mentorship from a faculty fellow. But the Embark Fellowship provides common. The discussion of societal differences resonated with audience members. “It was interesting that (Li) mentioned that the biggest difference between the United States and China is the pressure from families,” said Amanda Yao ’17. “The debate around universal values wasn’t something I’d encountered before,” said Morgan Talbot ’18. “The idea that there are more neutral views in China than in the West, where people have stronger views that can have a religious component to them, wasn’t something I’d thought about.” Li closed her discussion on an upbeat note, mentioning the possibility of increased tolerance and collaboration between activists around the world on online platforms. “The problems (LGBT people face) stem from misunderstanding by mainstream society, and this may be reason for optimism,” she said. “Gays around the country have actively convened to promote social understanding of their lifestyle, and the Internet has been their major convening ground.”
a platform for Lam and Tran to take their project to the next level, transforming it from an undergraduate experiment into a potential career in entrepreneurship. “The Embark Fellowship gives us a lot of opportunities,” Tran said. “Now that we have some financial capacity, it is a push to continue with what we’re doing. It’s a big milestone.” When selecting Embark Fellowship recipients, the Swearer Center seeks “to find the best ideas that Brown is developing and to help launch them into the world,” Harlam said. Harlam stressed that pushing an entrepreneurial project to the limits of its potential is only feasible after graduation, when students are not burdened with a heavy course load and other
extracurricular activities. Providing fellows with funds for one year is crucial, Harlam said, as the first year affords them the opportunity to “determine whether the idea is viable and can support itself with independently raised funds.” Ventures in their earliest stages often struggle to draw funding beyond friends and family, which can make it difficult for students to launch a project without alternative sources of income, he added. In vying for an Embark Fellowship, Lam and Tran faced a “highly competent panel” made up of “judges who spend their professional lives investing in early-stage companies,” Harlam said. “They’re both really coachable, incredibly hard-working and really determined to work through all the obstacles they will definitely encounter along the way to make this venture successful,” he added. Creative juices flowing After spending last summer in Vietnam and receiving the Embark Fellowship last month, Lam and Tran are now working on refining their product and raising funds to support it. Tran said she and Lam have realized developing juice flavors is “not (their) specialty,” and they intend to outsource production to a third party company. Nonetheless, initial focus groups offered the juice that Lam and Tran made themselves have reacted positively to gac’s mild flavor, which can be mixed easily with other fruits, Tran said. With the help of funds provided by the Embark Fellowship and the money they will raise through their crowdfunding campaign, Lam and Tran plan to focus in their first year on product development, which will entail marketing and offering free samples. They hope to
raise enough money to produce a first batch of approximately 55,000 bottles of XOI Juice this year. “We need to educate the consumer about what gac is first, because no one knows about it in the U.S. So we need to focus on marketing and education, and at the same time create enough traction to get into a few stores in Boston,” Tran said. Initially, because of gac’s benefits to the prostate and heart, Lam and Tran said they will market XOI toward men. Most drinks targeting male consumers are alcoholic or carbonated energy drinks, while most healthy juices are targeted at women, Lam said. “The beverage industry is really crowded, so we needed to find our niche,” Tran said. “But our long-term vision is to expand it also to women and the more general public.” Because their initial demographic is health-conscious men, Lam and Tran intend to market XOI in both grocery stores and fitness centers as well as at sporting events. For the first five years of the venture, Lam and Tran plan to supply the gac for XOI from a Vietnamese company rather than farmers from the ethnic minority community, Tran said. This will provide them with time to conduct a market valuation before bringing the community’s farmers into the mix. “We don’t want to risk involving the community initially if we don’t know that the market will be interested in the new product,” she said. By year five or six, when they hope to have positive cash flow, Lam and Tran said they will shift from using a company to creating a supply chain that starts with the ethnic minority community. XOI’s crowdfunding campaign launches today on Indiegogo.
ELI WHITE / HERALD
After tough losses last weekend, the Bears’ four game slate against Harvard will prove important as they embark on a quest to earn an Ivy Championship berth as representatives of the Red Rolfe Division.
» BASEBALL, from page 8 results of the Crimson and Bruno — and a split with Cornell. Four Harvard hitters who have appeared in 20 or more games bat over .300, while three of those batters have an on-base percentage well over .400. Harvard averages almost a run per game better than Brown, which has had various up-and-down stretches of offensive production this season. Harvard does not get its runs through power — the Crimson have only hit five home runs and 58 extra base hits
this season. Comparably, Bruno has 12 home runs and 60 extra base hits in three less games. “Against teams like that, the key is trying to get the first out,” Achilles said. “When they can’t get the leadoff runner on, it limits their options offensively. We need to play clean defense because that’s another key to success — limiting free bases.” Harvard’s three most utilized starters have not been incredibly impressive: Matt Timoney leads the staff at 4-1 with a 3.69 ERA, while sophomore Nick Gruener and junior Sean
Poppen both have ERAs over 5.00. The Crimson’s team ERA of 4.87 bests the Bears’ 7.99 mark, while the entire Harvard staff is better than Brown’s in almost every statistical category. But with similar results against the Gehrig Division, the Bears are not readily discouraged. “It’s a big weekend from the perspective that we’re playing our own division,” Achilles said. “Whoever wins the most games from this point gets to represent our division in the championship game, so we’re just going to take it one game at a time.”
TODAY
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
p u p p y p l ay
SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Mashed Potato Bowl, Made-To-Order Quesadillas, Gnocchi BLUE ROOM Soups: Clam Chowder, Minestrone, Beef with Bean Chili Naked Burritos ANDREWS COMMONS Asian Tacos Pizzas: Buffalo Chicken, Harvest, Bacon Cheeseburger
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Cajun Pasta with Chicken, Vegetables in Agave Ginger Sauce, Pancakes, Blondie Bars
Tequila Lime Chicken, Carrots with Tequila, Tilapia Provencale, Cavatelli Primavera
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Breaded Chicken Fingrs, Vegan Nuggets, Baseball Burrito Bar, Lobster Bisque, Baked Potatoes
Honey Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry, Vegan Roasted Yukon Potatoes with Shallots
sudoku
ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD
Despite rainy days and chilly temperatures for spring, bright-eyed puppy Charlie delighted passersby on campus with his cheery personality.
Comic Sans | Neille-Ann Tan ‘18
comics
Cat Ears | Najatee’ McNeil ‘17
RELEASE DATE– Friday, April 10, 2015
c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Los Angeles Times Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Roam 4 Got ready for company, perhaps 9 Norse shapeshifter 13 Word often following “further” 14 One adopting a puppy, say 15 The Tempter 16 Trivial amount 17 *Bargain dairy product? 19 Go out 20 Dedicated lines 21 Eliminates completely 22 Bar supply 24 Farm cries 25 Vessel with a spout 26 Database command 27 Spots 30 __ of roses 32 *Nickname for a roller coaster highlight? 34 Reclined 35 Easily provoked 36 Soap containing ground pumice 37 *Security workers asleep on the job? 39 Only Dwarf without a beard 40 Had 41 Goes after 42 Oath for toondom’s Dick Dastardly 43 Provide money for 44 It’s named for a trapeze artist 47 Turkish tabby 50 Deaden, as a piano string 51 Reason for an extra period 52 *Really hot cold drink? 54 Violin ending 55 Cuckoopints, e.g. 56 Merge 57 “Well now!” 58 Bar offerings 59 It’s a stunner 60 Reject
DOWN 1 They may be noble 2 __ Reader 3 Holiday rate, perhaps 4 Loser-to-be? 5 Stray 6 Arab potentate 7 Muscle mag display 8 Green Day drummer __ Cool 9 Lorenzo of “Renegade” 10 Man with rising aspirations? 11 Iron-rich cabbage 12 Signs 15 Layered clouds 18 Neighboring 23 Bluegrass characteristic 24 Transvaal settlers 26 Shakes off 27 2002 Cage/Streep film 28 Honky-tonk 29 Fix, in a way 30 Goya’s “The Duchess of __” 31 Stretched
32 Overused 33 Unsportsmanlike look 35 Regional animal life 38 Seizes unlawfully 39 Medicine dispenser, and, in another way, a hint to the answers to starred clues
42 Bump at the office, maybe 43 Bar heads 44 Blue gem, briefly 45 Hindu sage 46 Withdrawal process 47 Open a touch 48 Not 49 Kindergarten staple 50 Spanish lady 53 Hardware item
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
calendar FRIDAY
APRIL 10
8:30 A.M. ENGAGED SCHOLARSHIP CONFERENCE
The Department of Middle East Studies will host its third annual conference on engaged scholarship, entitled “Sexualities and Queer Imaginaries in the Middle East.” The conference will bring together experts from around the globe to discuss the development of LGBTQ movements in the Middle East. Sayles Hall 3:00 P.M. “BEYOND FREEDOM’S REACH: A KIDNAPPING IN THE TWILIGHT OF SLAVERY”
Faculty members and graduate students will discuss new research on 19th century American history. Adam Rothman of Georgetown University will give a talk on slavery during the time period. Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice
SATURDAY
APRIL 11
11:00 A.M. ROBOT BLOCK PARTY RI 2015 xwordeditor@aol.com
04/10/15
Free to the public, this event will feature more than 50 exhibits built by students, manufacturers and community members. The event will be presented by the Humanity Centered Robotics Initiative at Brown University, Rhode Island Students of the Future and Governor Gina Raimondo. Pizzitola Center 9:00 P.M. “SALSAFIRE”
With live music, DJs, and performances, the event will mark the Brown Salsa Club’s biggest event of the year. Admission will cost $10 for Brown students with an ID. Sayles Hall
SUNDAY
APRIL 12
10:30 A.M. “HOW OCCUPATION AFFECTS PALESTINIAN WOMEN: LOOKING AT SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE”
Amira Al-Dasouqi, Palestinian-American activist and researcher at Clark University, will join Brown students to discuss sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinian women under Israeli occupation. Sarah Doyle Women’s Center 11:00 A.M. DAOIST CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE WORKSHOP
The workshop will explore Daoist practices including standing, walking and seated meditation. The workshop, which will cost $10, will close with self-massage and an open conversation. Brown/RISD Hillel, Winnick Chapel By Peg Slay ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
04/10/15
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Brown Bites: April 4–10 BY MARCY HUANG, ONLINE EDITOR
TL;DR task force report The Task Force on Sexual Assault released its highly anticipated, 63-page final report Tuesday, building on the recommendations from December’s interim report. A major component of the report is the implementation of a single overarching policy on sexual and gender-based harassment, sexual violence, relationship and interpersonal violence and stalking that would apply to all community members. The task force also suggested shifting gender-based and sexual violence or harassment cases to a Title IX committee, which would recommend penalties for individuals found responsible. The report laid out a proposal for a new Title IX Office, led by Amanda Walsh, the University’s first-ever Title IX program officer, as well as a separate committee to monitor the Title IX Office’s work. Shots fired Pregaming — which, for those who haven’t yet attended Spring Weekend, is the “consumption of alcohol prior to attending an event or activity … at which more alcohol may be consumed” — was studied recently by a team of researchers from Brown, Lehigh University and Loyola Marymount University. The team surveyed 900 California college students in an effort to find possible correlations between “prepartying,” general drinking motives and negative alcohol-related consequences. Drinking to cope and conform socially were found to create the highest risk of negative consequences. Possible barriers to consuming alcohol later in the night and unnkown handling of drinks also correlated with greater consequences. For those reading Brown Bites in between shots of tequila, consider this your warning.
A N G E L IA WA N G
RISD strikes After five days of picket signs and displaced classes, a strike led by 44 technicians at RISD ended Monday. RISD technicians operate the technical equipment and shop spaces necessary for many RISD courses, so their absence forced some professors to cancel class due to safety concerns. Breakdowns in contract negotiations spurred the strike after disagreements between RISD and the Technicians Union over issues relating to health care premiums, wage increases and retirement contributions came to a head. After union membership rejected the university’s contract proposal twice, RISD declared an impasse. On Sunday, before the strike ended, Tucker Houlihan, president of the RISD Technical Association, said the “union filed an unfair labor practice with the National Labor Board in Boston three weeks ago. We want (the administration) back at the table to negotiate. Not to talk, to negotiate.” Actually, they’re called ‘concentrations’ here While many Brown students pick their concentrations by randomly pointing at an icon on Focal Point, some students with interdisciplinary interests choose to create their own. The process of forming an independent concentration can be daunting, requiring students to find a faculty advisor, create a suitable course list and get approval from the College Curriculum Council. But creating one’s own concentration is, according to philosophy, politics and law concentrator Frankie Troncoso ’16, the “epitome of being an architect of your own curriculum.” Creating an independent concentration is an extension of the open curriculum, said Dean of the College Maud Mandel. Using a phrase that could be only uttered at Brown, she said, “Life is an open curriculum.” That it is, Maud. That it is. Sweetie pie Dessert lovers, rejoice. Providence ranked second on Travel and Leisure Magazine’s list of America’s Best Cities for Sweet Tooths April 1. Providence eateries such as Dave’s Coffee and Seven Stars Bakery helped boost the city to the top of the list, beating out both New York and Boston. Despite Providence’s high ranking, one of Seven Stars’ owners Lynn Williams noted, “I wouldn’t say Providence folk seem particularly obsessed with sugar.” Judging from the length of the line on Ben and Jerry’s Free Cone Day, we have to disagree.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“They just try to beat the fear into you.” —
See CHINA on page 2.
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COMMENTARY FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Energize Rhode Island MILI MITRA opinions columnist
While the media is currently focused on the prelude to the 2016 elections, Rhode Island has the chance to make history by passing a statewide price on carbon. With the “Energize Rhode Island: Clean Energy Investment and Carbon Pricing Act of 2015,” the Ocean State can address the impacts of global warming and set an example for the rest of the nation to follow. But, for that to happen, the Energize Rhode Island Coalition needs the help of the entire Brown community. As The Herald reported last month, the Energize Rhode Island Act would reduce emissions by placing an initial price of $15 on every ton of carbon, often in the form of fossil fuels, when it is transported into the state. The price would discourage businesses and households from using fossil fuels so as to avoid the fee and incentivize them to invest in clean alternatives. The revenue from the fee would then be re-invested in direct dividends to residents and businesses. Each resident would get an equal rebate, and businesses would get dividends based on their shares of state employment. A portion of the revenue — 25
percent — will also be invested in state infrastructure. The coalition sees the plan as a way to enlarge Gov. Gina Raimondo’s proposed Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank. Increasing real personal disposable income through the dividends and investing in government work plans would stimulate the state economy. A recent economic study from Regional Economic Models, Inc. shows that the bill would reduce emissions by a staggering 35 percent and create 1,000 jobs in the next two
ronmental legislation is not always a zero-sum game. Economic benefits aside, the bill would also benefit the state by significantly reducing emissions. It is time we start giving environmental policy the attention it deserves. Global warming is one of the great challenges of our generation. We have a small window to stop the disastrous effects of climate change, and as responsible citizens of this nation and the world, we have to rise to the occasion. For now and for the future, it is impera-
ress. Coupled with administrative support and the short distance to the State House, this activist streak has ensured that Brown students remain a significant, if undervalued, part of policy in the state. Just look at Brown’s role in campaigning for same-sex marriage. In spring 2013, the Brown Democrats played an important role in the fight for marriage equality by canvassing and phone-banking to raise awareness. The timely victory of their campaign, which made Rhode Island the
We have a small window to reverse the disastrous effects of climate change and, as responsible citizens of this nation and the world, we have to rise to the occasion. years. To put that figure into perspective, Raimondo’s signature Infrastructure Bank is predicted to create only a few hundred jobs in a similar time frame. The Energize Rhode Island Act would also halt the hemorrhaging of state money spent to import fossil fuels from out of state. Since Rhode Island does not have naturally occurring fossil fuels, most of the spending on energy leaves our borders. Reinvesting the revenue in the state economy could boost local industries and increase in-state spending. The bill is one of the rare policy solutions that can benefit both the environment and the economy, proving that envi-
tive that we find solutions to reduce carbon emissions. And the Energize Rhode Island Act is a simple, effective way to safeguard our environment. The bill is not the first time Brown students have proactively campaigned for positive change. Organized by Solomon Goldstein-Rose ’16 alongside a team of student interns, the Energize Rhode Island Act exemplifies Brown’s history of involvement in state legislation. Our university has a record of making a concrete difference in the nation’s smallest state. I’m proud to say that Brown students are known for their activism and commitment to prog-
10th state to allow same-sex marriage, invigorated national momentum on the issue. Another prime example of this influence is the Resilient Rhode Island Act of 2014, a prelude to the Energize Rhode Island Act, which was drafted with the help of several Brown students and championed by a team of Brown interns working alongside J. Timmons Roberts, professor of environmental studies and sociology. The Resilient Rhode Island Act was a ground-breaking proposal that promoted resilience and sustainability in the face of the growing impacts of climate change. With the help of our community, the bill was
passed in the legislature and committed the state to reducing emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The target is the most ambitious in the country and earned national attention. Rhode Island may be a small state, but it can pack a punch. Massachusetts and Vermont are considering similar bills that put a tax on carbon. Brown students and Rhode Islanders have the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to the economy and the environment and to lead a movement. By showing other states that a carbon price would reduce emissions and stimulate rather than burden the economy, we can catalyze national momentum. I encourage all members of the Brown community — and the Rhode Island public, for that matter — to join the campaign. The Energize Rhode Island Coalition is looking for volunteers to help with events, phone-banks and state-wide canvassing. Even writing letters to editors and legislators can show support and help bring about a positive outcome: the passing of the bill.
Mili Mitra ’18 is the press coordinator for Energize Rhode Island. For questions about Energize R.I. and how to get involved, contact her at mili_mitra@brown.edu or visit www.energizeri.org.
Lincoln Chafee: Conscience first BROWN STUDENTS FOR CHAFEE guest columnist
America’s political landscape received an unexpected shock Thursday with a surprise from former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee ’75 P’14 P’17. He announced that he had formed an exploratory committee to consider running for the Democratic Party’s 2016 presidential nomination. Though Chafee is relatively unknown on the national stage — we Brown students called him governor for the past four years — his entrance into the race for the White House is a welcome development given his executive and legislative accomplishments. As Brown community members consider options for next year’s campaign, Chafee stands out as a passionate leader who is ready to be president and who presents a compelling departure from past candidates. Chafee’s first taste of national office came in 1999 when he assumed his father’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Both he and his father were Republicans — between them, elected five times to the Senate — in a state that has long been firmly Democratic. During his tenure, which ended in 2006 with his defeat at the hands of current U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Chafee improved his father’s unparalleled record of dissent within the Republican camp. He cast the sole Republican ballot against the Iraq War authorization resolution, opposed efforts to end the estate tax and worked unilaterally to oppose Arctic drilling proposals, a central battle over our nation’s environmental future. As a Republican in the U. S. Senate, he supported raising the minimum wage. He voted against the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts as well as the Part D Medicare expansion of prescription drugs. In 2006, he voted to reinstate the Clinton-era tax rate
on the very wealthiest Americans. Taken together, these votes and stances on policy represent an effort, unparalleled in our time, to place national interest above party alliances. Chafee was not only a voice of dissent within the Republican Party but also a national leader on civil rights. As the first Republican senator to support marriage equality, he demonstrated that he was willing to take stands uncomfortable not only to his entire party but to many on the left at the time, including President Obama and 2016 Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. He reaffirmed this early commitment as governor in 2013, pushing both Democrats and Republicans to end marriage discrimination in Rhode Island. It is a testa-
Perhaps most importantly, Chafee ensured that the state uphold its obligations to its students. He ensured that the state maintain its funding formula over each of his four budgets. He called for an end to divisive labor battles that pitched teachers against students and was rewarded with four years of relative calm. He also worked to freeze tuition at the state’s public universities. As president, Chafee would prioritize the needs of our students and public schools. Though he has long expressed skepticism over charter schools, he worked with state officials to secure and implement Rhode Island’s $75 million Race to the Top award. As both a governor and U.S. senator, Chafee exhibited a high degree of independent judgment
Chafee stands out as a passionate leader who is ready to be president and who presents a compelling departure from past candidates. ment to his leadership that each of the five Republican senators in the General Assembly supported him. During his time as governor, he inherited the problems of a state with sagging employment numbers, a national recession and a State House run by corrupt party politics. As an Independent, he sought compromise between those who said the state’s pension crisis must fall entirely on the heads of workers and those who wanted to default on Wall Street. Unlike in Providence, where negotiations have been plagued by fights and ongoing litigations, at the state level, Chafee led negotiators to reach an early agreement. Through a period of tough fiscal realities, he worked with the Democratic Assembly to promote investment in Rhode Island businesses and neighborhoods while resisting the temptation to demonize the government’s ability to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
and moral clarity as a leader, which is sorely lacking in national politics. It takes a certain tenacity to stand up against one’s party, and Chafee embodies that tenacity, as he demonstrated amid a climate of crisis in the post-9/11 debate over whether to authorize President George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq. Chafee’s status as the lone Republican to vote against the 2002 force authorization bill placed him in opposition both to his own party and to many Democratic senators — including Clinton, who at the time was a senator from New York — who went along with Bush’s rush to war. This courageous act differentiates Chafee. While his party affiliations have changed, Chafee has stayed consistent on issue after issue: fiscal restraint, foreign policy pragmatism and an ethical “good government” approach, as evidenced by the complete lack of scandal surrounding his tenure as governor in a state even today linked with systemic political corruption.
Many political observers have argued that the resurgent U.S. economy means that Republican presidential aspirants who wish to assail Obama’s legacy in the 2016 election will focus on foreign affairs as their key to winning back the White House. Amid turmoil in the Middle East and unease about America’s strategic position abroad, conservatives will no doubt try making the case that the country needs to adopt a more militant and bellicose posture in the post-Obama era. We have serious concerns about nominating any Democrat with a record of bending to the winds of popular opinion on the use of military force. As Democrats go to the polls to find a messenger who can counter this dangerous thinking, we can think of no one more capable of pushing back against this saber rattling than Chafee. He would be the most effective defender of President Obama’s foreign policy of pragmatism and multilateralism. He could draw on his reservoir of experience to rebut Republican calls for unilateral action by arguing that the best foreign policy comes from having both a strong military and an awareness that dialogue, not bombs, often makes the biggest difference. Rhode Island faced some of the most acute difficulties in the country when Lincoln Chafee assumed office as governor in 2011. Yet he fought on the basis of his core beliefs to help those hardest hit by the recession while working to alleviate the systemic issues that have held the state back for decades. We trust that his record of integrity and good government will speak loudly. It is our job to amplify that voice and send a fellow Brunonian to the White House in 2016.
Any Brown students who believe in Lincoln Chafee for president should email brownforchafee@gmail.com to get involved.
SPORTS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015
M. LACROSSE
Bears look to go 4-0 against ranked opponents in tilt with No. 9 Yale
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Nick Piroli ’15 fires a shot at the opposing goalkeeper. Bruno is coming off of its first Ivy loss of the year after topping Princeton and Harvard, so Dylan Molloy ’17 and Brown will look to bounce back against No. 9 Yale.
After last weekend’s loss to Penn, Bruno looks to avenge last year’s defeat to fourth-place Bulldogs By NIKKO PASANEN SPORTS STAFF WRITER
With the disappointment of last weekend’s loss to Penn still lingering, the No. 12 men’s lacrosse team will look to get back on track Saturday as it
takes on on No. 9 Yale in a pivotal Ivy League matchup. Last year, the Bears (8-2, 2-1) suffered a crushing overtime defeat to the Bulldogs (8-2, 2-2 Ivy), but this time around they have their sights set on flipping the script. A win would certainly go a long way
BASEBALL
for Bruno, putting the team in solid position for the Ivy League playoffs. “Approaching Yale is always tough,” said Corbin Booker ’15. “They are a very good team and have been playing really well. The best thing that we can do is continue to prepare for what they have and push each other in practice to make sure everyone is ready to play on Saturday.”
In order for the Bears to take down the Bulldogs, the offense will have to return to its high-scoring ways. Over the past two games, the Bears have averaged only 10.5 goals — considerably lower than their 15.6 season average. A dip in offensive production could be attributed to a tough stretch of league play now in full swing, and the team is not worried about the future viability of the offense. “Our offense has been fine,” said Kylor Bellistri ’16. “We are continuing to learn more about each other in practice each day, and this weekend is another great opportunity to prove that.” Bellistri, along with Henry Blynn ’16 and nation-leading scorer Dylan Molloy ’17, will look to spearhead the attack this weekend against Yale. The three have combined for an impressive 90 goals on the year so far, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the team’s total offensive production. Facing off against Yale, which is on a three-game winning streak, will certainly provide a stiff challenge for the Bears. After falling to Cornell and Princeton in back-to-back games, the Bulldogs recovered to win their next two Ivy League games, bringing their league record back to .500. Along the way, they have proven to be a top-tier offense as well, ranking in the top 15 nationally with an average of 12 goals
per game. Booker said the key to stopping Yale will be containing its offense. Goalie Jack Kelly ’16 will likely be a critical piece of the defensive effort, with his hopes set on repeating a solid 15-save performance during last week’s outing against Penn. A lot will also rest in the hands of Larken Kemp ’16, who has proven to be an instrumental part of the team’s defense. Kemp currently sits second nationally in turnovers caused per game. Will Gural ’16, the team’s face-off specialist, could also prove to be the difference maker, as he currently ranks 10th nationally in face-off winning percentage. Yet no one player will decide Saturday’s match against Yale — it will take a complete team effort to bring down the Bulldogs. Booker and Bellistri maintained optimism in preparing to play such a tough opponent. “The Ivy League is deep every year, and with teams that are constantly in the top 10 rankings, you know that each week is a dogfight,” Booker said. “We handle it so well because it is why we came to Brown. Every opportunity to compete is a chance to win.” “It’s always a lot of fun playing good teams and having tough competition,” Bellistri said. “We all embrace that each Ivy League game is going to be a battle. This weekend should be fun.”
M. HOCKEY
Bruno looks to rebound Brown to cross Atlantic for tournament game, Hockey against Ivy foe Harvard League East matchup in Northern Wright ’15, Fitzpatrick ’15 to start opening games against Crimson in first Rolfe Division tilts By MATT BROWNSWORD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
After getting demolished at the hands of Lou Gehrig Division powerhouses Columbia and Penn, the baseball team is looking to four games against Red Rolfe Division foe Harvard to get its season back on track. “This is a big weekend for us,” said Dan Kerr ’15. “Our division is close right now, and we have a great opportunity to pick up some wins. These games always feel more important because we have a chance to play a team in our division four times.” The Bears (6-18, 2-6 Ivy) were steamrolled last weekend as a result of some poor pitching and an anemic offense. But leading up to that point, Brown put together some good performances. Bruno was 5-4 in nine games before its tilts with Penn, as Reid Anderson ’18 got his second win, Dante Bosnic ’18 got two wins and Dave St. Lawrence ’15 recorded four saves and a win. The two first-years lead the team in wins this season, with Anderson appearing in five starts and Bosnic pitching eight games in relief. Anderson’s accompanying starters will be important in the four-game stretch against the Crimson (14-13, 3-5), as starting pitching has been a relative problem for the Bears. Eddie
Fitzpatrick ’15, Max Ritchie ’17 and Taylor Wright ’15 were the other three starters last week, while Kevin Guthrie ’16 and St. Lawrence might feature in the rotation. “We’re going to go with Taylor and Eddie the first day and then see where it goes from there,” said Head Coach Grant Achilles. “We just want to win as many games as we can day one, and if that means we go to a guy we had scheduled for Sunday, then so be it.” On offense, Brown has scored three runs or fewer in 11 out of the 24 games it has played, four of which occurred last weekend against Penn and Columbia. Brown has fallen victim to a lack of baserunners, as Robert Henry ’17 and Jake Levine ’16 are the only Bears who have appeared in more than 20 games to bat over .300. Henry and Sam Grigo ’18 are the only Bears who have an on-base percentage higher than .400, while only Henry — again — slugs over .500. The sophomore has put together quite an impressive campaign, but he has not had much support behind him. “He just needs to continue being consistent,” Achilles said. “The key to his success has been about not trying to do anything complex. He’s the table setter for our offense, so he gets the first look at the pitcher and comes back with information, which is always important.” Harvard has experienced similar conference results as Brown. Two sweeps at the hands of Penn and Columbia preceded a sweep of Princeton — the lone difference between the Ivy » See BASEBALL, page 4
Ireland headline Bears’ 2015 schedule By MATT BROWNSWORD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
During last year’s disappointing season, the longest road trip the men’s hockey team had to make was to ECAC rival Princeton — a long bus ride that the Bears make annually. But next year, Bruno will get a little further from Providence: Brown, ECAC foe Colgate and two Hockey East teams — Northeastern and UMass Lowell — will take a cross-Atlantic trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland over Thanksgiving for the first-ever Festival of Ice Hockey tournament. The inaugural event will be announced by Lord Mayor Arder Carson of Belfast at the Frozen Four this weekend. The opportunity “came across a bunch of different leagues, the Hockey East and the ECAC included,” said Head Coach Brendan Whittet ’94. “We expressed interest and were able to secure the spot.” The tournament across the pond will offer a twist on Bruno’s typical Thanksgiving plans. Brown’s first game against Colgate will be a league game and the second will be a nonconference matchup. Colgate gave up its home game against the Bears to play at the neutral site, so the game will be important to Brown’s conference record. “We are going over there to win,” said co-captain Mark Naclerio ’16. “We are going to treat it like a business
trip but also enjoy the experience and have fun with it.” “The hockey will be excellent,” Whittet said. “There’s a big following over there because they have a pro team. They said that they’re expecting about 10,000 fans a game. And the game against Colgate especially will be really, really important.” Along with the Bears’ conference schedule, which some college hockey pundits deem the hardest in the country, potential matchups with perennial Hockey East powers will only add to the grueling season ahead of Brown. “Being a part of big tournaments helps our program,” Naclerio said. “We like to play the best teams in the nation and prove we can compete.” The Boston Mayor’s office has
already raised over $200,000 to cover the cost of travel for all of the teams, the Belfast Live reported. On the other side, the Carson has promised to give over 12,000 tickets free of charge to “young people” across the city. The Odyssey Arena estimates the cost of staging the event to be about 227,000 euros. “It’ll be a great experience,” Whittet said. “We get to travel overseas and hopefully have an impact on the people over there. Likewise, I think the cultural experience will be great for our program and our guys.” “It’s definitely an honor that we will remember forever,” Naclerio said. “We are fortunate to be able to get the experience of playing overseas, and we are really excited for it.”
BRITTANY COMUNALE / HERALD
From Providence to Belfast: Bruno will travel overseas to Belfast for a league game against Colgate and a tilt with a Hockey East opponent.