SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
VOLUME CL, ISSUE 77
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
Reports of sexual misconduct rise Endowment sees 5.7 percent Annual Security Report details increase in drug use, while burglary, robbery rates drop
70 cases
By CAMILLA BRANDFIELD-HARVEY
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STAFF WRITER
The number of forcible sex offenses reported on campus in 2014 doubled since 2013 and nearly tripled since 2012, according to the University’s Annual Security Report released Wednesday. Forty-three cases of forcible sex offenses were reported last year compared to 21 cases in 2013 and 16 in 2012. Disciplinary referrals for drug violations on campus jumped from 27 in 2013 to 76 last year, following a major rise in referrals for liquor law violations from 2012 to 2013. Burglary on campus decreased to 2012 levels after a spike in 2013, falling from 58 reported incidences to 20. Conversely, reports of burglary in District 9-2, where many students live off campus, rose markedly from 23 cases to 57. Mark Porter, chief of police for the Department of Public Safety, attributed the increase in sexual offenses reported
Incidence of criminal offenses over time
Though the number of reported robberies has decreased, the number of reported forcible sex offenses has doubled since last year, increasing from 21 to 44.
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return on investments
Endowment hits peak of $3.3 billion, but returns fall short of FY14’s amid global market fluctuations By ANDREW FLAX
FORCIBLE SEX OFFENSES
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BURGLARY
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ROBBERY
2012
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Source: Department of Public Safety TRACY ZISHU GAO / HERALD
to improved education and greater student empowerment. The report’s attention to resources for reporting and preventing sexual assault echoes Porter’s reasoning. The report stresses the importance of bystander intervention and explicitly dissects consent, coercion and incapacitation. For instance, the report defines consent as “an affirmative and willing agreement” to engage in sexual conduct that requires “outward demonstration” via
words or actions. It also emphasizes that neither silence nor passivity constitutes consent, that consent can be revoked at any time and that prior consent does not indicate future consent. The report states that this understanding of consent or its absence will be seriously considered throughout the disciplinary process. Reports produced by the Task Force on Sexual Assault and campus » See SECURITY, page 2
SPORTS EDITOR
The University’s endowment reached a new high of $3.3 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, earning a 5.7 percent return, according to a University press release. This year’s return falls far short of the 16.1 percent mark the endowment posted last year. But this year was a less profitable one for markets on the whole, as the S&P 500 gained just 7.4 percent over the fiscal year compared to 24.6 percent during the previous 12 months. The 5.7 percent return compares favorably to the returns of other institutions, ranking in the top 25 percent of schools with endowments of at least $1 billion, according to Cambridge Associates. “In the context of the global economic volatility, we are pleased with the
return,” wrote Jane Dietze, managing director of the Investment Office, in an email to The Herald. “At the same time, we believe we can optimize the portfolio to achieve higher returns with less risk in the future.” But the Investment Committee is not focused primarily on single-year returns, Dietze wrote. “To meet the goals of the University, a single year’s returns are not particularly relevant. It is more important to focus on five- or even 10year returns,” she wrote. Dietze added that the endowment’s returns this year are “relatively better” than those over the past three and five years, which exceeded the mean and median returns for schools with $1 billion endowments but did not make the top quartile. Despite these positive indicators, the University’s return still trailed those of the other three Ivy League schools to have reported theirs so far. Yale led the way with an 11.5 percent return, followed by Dartmouth at 8.3 percent. Harvard, which has fallen under scrutiny for low returns despite having » See ENDOWMENT, page 3
Men’s Story Project explores BASKETBALL Pizza, gelato and basketball: Bears take Italy facets of masculinity Group discussions to culminate in spring show on gender roles for maleidentifying students By ANICA GREEN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Across campus, programs like the Gender, Power and Sexuality workshop — formerly FemSex — and Sexual Assault Peer Education foster conversations to help students examine issues of identity and gendered violence. Amongst these discussions, the new Men’s Story Project takes a novel approach. Formed this fall, the Men’s Story Project brings together male-identifying students to create and share stories about their masculine identity. These conversations will culminate this spring in a performance that will showcase these narratives. “What does that mean in terms of asking for consent if you need to be viewed as tough and domineering and hypersexual?” asked Marc Peters, men’s health coordinator, referring to gender themes that the Men’s Story Project seeks to address. “We talk a lot in the meetings about how to frame the project,” said Ricardo Jaramillo ’18, one of the student coordinators. “It is a really delicate and
INSIDE
complicated thing because the idea of it is not that men are being oppressed or that there needs to be more affirmation of masculinity,” he said. The group instead aims to open a space for male-identified students to talk about the good and the bad that goes along with the “male” label. “I didn’t know how to kick a ball; I didn’t understand why that was important; I didn’t know how to do all these manly things; I didn’t know (anything) about cars,” said Andrew Vann ’17, one of the student leaders of the project. “Coming to college … I came to the realization of why I was like that and that it was okay to be like that.” The Men’s Story Project is not a uniquely Brown program. The program, created by Jocelyn Lehrer as part of her doctorate at Harvard, is now licensed to groups around the world who use the model to create their own variations of the project. The program is “a replicable storytelling and community dialogue project that brings exploration of social ideas about masculinity into public forums, through men’s own voices and stories,” according to the Men’s Story Project website. The initiative is one-of-a-kind not only because it offers participants their own space to address ideas surrounding male identity, but also because it » See MEN’S STORY, page 2
Preseason trip gives Bruno opportunity to face international competition, take in Italian culture By MATT BROWNSWORD AND TANEIL RUFFIN SENIOR STAFF WRITERS
Most Ivy League basketball teams start their seasons in late autumn before playing their first competitive games in November. For the men’s and women’s basketball teams, the return to the hardwood came much sooner: Both teams, accompanied by their coaching staffs and team managers, traveled to Italy for 10 days at the end of August for four games of competitive basketball, incredible sights and copious amounts of gelato. In preparation for the trip, the men’s team set several goals for its time abroad. “On the court, we wanted to compete hard and learn how to play with each other,” said Cedric Kuakumensah ’16. “Off the court, we wanted to just enjoy our coaches and enjoy spending time with each other.” But first, the men’s team boarded a bus for Newark, New Jersey. In Newark, the squad hopped on an eight-hour flight to Milan. While a few players managed to get some rest, others struggled to get comfortable on
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
The men’s basketball team poses for a picture in front of the Duomo di Milano. Both basketball teams handily defeated the Italian competition. the plane. The latter group included the take on Valsesia Basket. 6-foot-9 Kuakumensah. The forward Though Bruno claimed a win in the said he found it frustrating as passengers first contest, the team was taken aback reclined back onto his legs, giving him by the Italian style of play. little space to get comfortable during “The Italian players were definitely the lengthy voyage. But the discomfort different,” Kuakumensah said. “They play proved to be a minor grievance when at a higher tempo and there is not much the team finally touched down in Italy. defense. They just try to score a lot.” According to the team’s blog, on Adding to the unique style of play, which several players chronicled the trip, the Bears were also initially thrown off the Bears’ first day in Italy was similar to by some differences in the game’s rules. many others during the 10-day trip — A stricter first step rule resulted in more filled with sightseeing and pizza. traveling violations than the team would After some much needed rest, the usually garner at home. While it is poputeam awoke on its second day to its first lar in the United States to allow players taste of international competition. Before a quick step into their shots, referees in the game, the squad first faced another Italy showed little tolerance for the move. lengthy bus ride. With the Alps framing After a day off from play to sightsee the background, the Bears rode further along the shores of Lake Como and travel north into Italy’s Piedmont region to » See ITALY, page 2
WEATHER
FRIDAY, OC TOBER 2, 2015
UNIVERSITY NEWS Summer renovations leave Wriston Quad in state of recarpeted reverie
ARTS & CULTURE “The Secret Birds and Other Works” celebrates marginalized identities in List Art
COMMENTARY Doyle ’18: Revoking Bill Cosby’s honorary degree is a symbolic move but an important one
SPORTS COMMENTARY Diehl ’18: An in-depth breakdown of the English Premier League teams’ relative merits
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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Residents react to dorm renovations Students express satisfaction with results of two-year renovation project
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CONTRIBUTING WRITER
» MEN’S STORY, from page 1 is specifically designed to be inclusive. It is open to all who self-identify as male, and 50 percent of participants should be nonwhite, according to the program’s guidelines. Brown is among the first colleges
The number of referrals for both drug and liquor offenses has increased over the past three years. Drug violation referrals nearly tripled this year, increasing from 28 to 76. 80 cases
By BRIGITTE DALE
As students settle into their dormitories for the semester, those residing in Buxton, Chapin, Harkness, Sears and Wayland Houses are benefitting from renovations completed this summer. These five dorms saw the introduction of new carpets, furniture and paint, as well as updates to kitchens and lounge areas, said Richard Bova, senior associate dean of residential life and dining services. These renovations cost approximately $5 million, Bova said. This summer’s construction was part of a 2014 project to renovate all nine Wriston buildings over two years that cost a total of $10 million, he said. “The project was planned out twoand-a-half years ago and received funding over a two-year period,” Bova said, adding that new furniture, paint, carpet and flooring “improves anyone’s general living conditions.” Bella Norvig ’16, whose sorority Alpha Chi Omega is situated in Sears House, said the renovations have made the living spaces “better and newer.” The lounge was redone, new carpets were added and “everything just looks really nice,” she said. Raphaela Posner ’18 said the updates to Wayland make it “look like a hotel.” Posner did not know that Wayland was being renovated this summer, so when
Incidence of disciplinary referrals over time
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LIQUOR
30 20 RHEA STARK / HERALD
A newly renovated common room is one of many comprehensive upgrades that were made to the Wriston Quad dorms this summer. she arrived on campus in September, she was thrilled to discover the changes. “When I walked in I was like, ‘are you kidding me?’” Posner said, adding, “It looks beautiful.” The Wriston renovations were similar in “size, scope and duration” to previous work done in Littlefield, Hope and New Pembroke dorms because both were renewal projects, not gut renovations, Bova said. Miller and Metcalf previously underwent gut renovations, and Andrews and Keeney were refreshed with some additional mechanical work involved within the past five years, Bova said. To prioritize renovation and construction projects, the Office of Residential Life conducts environmental surveys to determine “what really needs the most attention,” Bova said. Facilities Management surveys “heating systems, lighting, the air handler system, the foundation and the windows the same way you would
do a home inspection” to determine the specific needs of the structures, he said. In addition to environmental surveys, Bova “continually works with students” to identify which areas they feel need renovation, he said. “Students have been really happy about the results from the comments we have received,” Bova said. For future projects, the Office of Residential Life is “looking closely” at Perkins, Barbour Hall and Graduate Center, Bova said. Allie Dolido ’18 and Justine Breuch ’18, residents of Perkins Hall, said they see the need for renovations in their living space. “The carpet is stained with other people’s business, the stairwells are dirty and the sinks leak — my feet get wet when I brush my teeth,” Dolido said. “It’s supposed to be our home for eight months,” she added. “Where you live makes a big difference.”
and universities to start their own version of the program. “The fact that the University is strongly behind something like this says a lot about what we are trying to do on this campus,” Peters said. Transformative Conversations@ Brown, an initiative of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, met the program
with enthusiasm and unanimous approval, he added. Most of the spaces available for conversations surrounding identity at Brown are geared toward groups that face systematic forms of oppression. While this is not the case for men in our patriarchal society, there are still many ways that traditional ideas of masculinity are harmful — both in how they affect men and in how those norms are expressed in gendered violence, Jaramillo said. The program’s leaders expressed an openness to talking about sexual assault, emphasizing that they will be sure to act on the most comprehensive definition of the term. “We have talked a lot about sexual assault, but often male survivors are left out of that conversation — so we can not forget some of those narratives,” said Justice Gaines ’16, a student leader of the project. “Not all forms of sexual violence occur along the gender binary,” Vann said. The group is currently reaching out to various constituencies on campus to recruit participants. The group hopes to recruit students who would benefit from the space and who could “put on a performance in the spring of next year so we can open it up into the community for these narratives to be presented,” Gaines said. Peters said interested students should contact him for more information. “I see this as a great opportunity for self-discovery and for people to come together and share each other’s stories … and understand each other’s struggles and be vulnerable with each other,” Vann said.
DRUG
10 0 2012
‘13 ‘14 Source: Department of Public Safety TRACY ZISHU GAO / HERALD
» SECURITY, from page 1 discussions on the subject over the past two years have likely encouraged more students to report sexual misconduct. Despite the increase in reporting, Porter said the data still does not reflect all sexual offenses that have occurred. The spike in referrals for drug violations can be attributed to a surge in the number of room searches over the past year, said Paul Shanley, deputy chief of police for DPS. Additional health and safety inspections for potential fire safety hazards have also discovered more drugs in dorm rooms than in previous years, he said. Robbery around campus also dropped to four cases in 2014 from 12 in 2013. Porter attributed the decreases in burglary and violent robbery around campus to education, including better distribution of information about room theft and property registration. Students’ use of the Brown University Shuttle and SafeWalk program, along with the “yellow jackets” stationed strategically around campus and the increased visibility of DPS and Providence Police officers, have also likely contributed to the decrease in robbery, Shanley said. Further east of College Hill, incidents of burglary rose notably in various districts of Mount Hope. Burglary nearly doubled in District 8-1 from 47 cases in 2013 to 88 last year. Incidents of domestic violence in District 8-2 also jumped to 14 in the last year from zero in 2013, while reports of domestic violence increased slightly from zero to three on College Hill. Aggravated assault rose in Mount Hope
» ITALY, from page 1 to Florence, the Bears were in action again against the strong Virtus Bologna team, which boasts two former-NBA players — Allan Ray and Dexter Pittman. While Bruno continued acclimating to the new style of play to which they were introduced just two nights before, Virtus Bologna had defeated Stanford University’s men’s basketball team by 12 points. The Bears came out strong against their Italian opponents, trailing by just seven at halftime, but the NBA-caliber competition outlasted Bruno and handed the team its sole loss of the trip. In the remaining days, the team traveled to Rome, where they explored the city’s historic streets. Perhaps inspired by the eternal city’s history of conquest, the squad deftly handled Tiber Basket and LUISS Universita by a combined
from four in 2013 to 14 last year. Reports of most other violent and nonviolent crimes, including homicide, motor vehicle theft, drug violations, hate crimes and arson remained consistent across districts. The report’s data is limited to the East Side of Providence. But the report’s geographic limitations may do a disservice to the Brown community by enhancing the exclusivity of College Hill, said Stefano Bloch, a postdoctoral fellow in urban studies who teaches URBN 1230: “Crime and the City.” The restricted data of the report “creates a city within a city” and makes the East Side “a privileged island,” Bloch said. If the report had included crime statistics from the West Side of Providence, overall crime would appear to be much higher, he said, adding that the East Side is much safer than other areas of the city. Bloch also said crime rates have deceased consistently across the country since the 1990s. As in other cities, crime has diminished in Providence due to cultural, economic and spatial alterations, such as gentrification, he said. Attributing lower crime rates to better police work would represent a “narrow” and “too convenient” perspective, he added. Ultimately, Bloch considers spikes in reported crime to be positive in nature. Bloch said a rise in statistics is “indicative of conversation,” sensitivity to crime and a more open discussion of crimes that would otherwise remain in the shadows, such as the sexual offenses reported last year. — With additional reporting by Taneil Ruffin margin of 46 points. Overall, the trip abroad proved to be an invaluable learning and bonding experience for the team. “We definitely learned a lot in Italy that can help us in the regular season,” Kuakumensah said. “The trip was good for our chemistry and trying out our new offense.” For the eight representatives of the women’s team — Megan Reilly ’18, Kennedy Martin ’18, Savannah Johnson ’18, Janie White ’18, Rebecca Musgrove ’17, KJ Veldman ’17, Jordin Alexander ’16, Natalie Ball ’16 and Ellise Sharpe ’16 — it was an unusual but incredible experience. A typical day was made up of both basketball and cultural activities — in addition to stretching sessions, practice and games on game days, the girls » See ITALY, page 4
ARTS & CULTURE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Exhibit collages literary, artistic elements ‘BitterSweet’ memories of tree captured in sculpture
RHEA STARK / HERALD
Collaged birds, a symbolic animal in many cultures, cover the walls of the David Winton Bell Gallery to uplift the voices of marginalized peoples. The exhibit highlights Native American narratives.
Artist celebrates marginalized populations throughout history using collages, etchings By MADISON RIVLIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Tony Fitzpatrick’s birds flock to List Art Center’s David Winton Bell Gallery in his exhibition entitled “The Secret Birds and Other Works,” which opened Aug. 29 and will be on display through Oct. 25. Curated by Alexis Lowry, former curator of the Bell Gallery, the exhibition not only demonstrates Fitzpatrick’s talents as an artist but also serves to reveal the symbolic complexities within his work and the influences of his background. Lowry said she highlighted Fitzpatrick this fall because she has long admired his work. Fitzpatrick draws inspiration from Chicago imagists of the 60s, 70s and
subculture pop art, Lowry said. These artists were “looking at margins of society,” she said, adding that Fitzpatrick “comes out of that tradition.” “He’s not a slick New York artist. He is really down to earth but has big opinions,” said Jo-Ann Conklin, director of the Bell Gallery. One such “big opinion” that pervades Fitzpatrick’s artwork is his belief in celebrating marginalized and isolated people in society. Many of his pieces, including two collages called “The Apache Weed” and “Trail of Tears,” focus on American Indian culture. In a 2012 post on his WordPress site, Fitzpatrick explains that the reasoning behind many of his collages is to speak up for the American Indian population, which is often overlooked. “Know this: We live on stolen property. Every sidewalk, every gated community, every 7-11. And we descend from the most successful murderers in human history,” the post reads.
Fitzpatrick is not only heavily influenced by his Chicago roots but also by his background in performance, poetry and tattoo artistry, Lowry said. “There is something almost literary about his drawings. … His poems are very visual, and his visual art very literary.” This rings true in many of Fitzpatrick’s bird collages, such as “Chicago Sapsucker” and “The Magic Catbird,” which incorporate snippets of quotes, packaging labels, clippings and key phrases into the overall scheme of the collages. “The text helps,” said Korby Simpson ’18. Fitzpatrick “lets the viewer think what they want to think of the piece, even though he helps draw the viewer’s eye to what he thinks is most important.” True to the multifaceted nature of his work, Fitzpatrick will continue exploring American history through a play entitled “Stations Lost” in Studio 1 of the Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts Friday, Oct. 9.
more than 60 academic programs and our commitment to meeting the demonstrated need of students on financial aid,” Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration Barbara Chernow ’79 said in the press release. The fund comprises a wide range of assets: It is 27 percent public equity, 31 percent hedged strategies such as hedge funds, 21 percent private equity, 8 percent real assets, 5 percent fixedincome instruments and 6 percent cash,
Abstract wooden carving and photographs evoke memories of historic 94-year-old elm By EMILY MARTLAND CONTRIBUTING WRITER
LAURA FELENSTEIN / HERALD
A single wooden sculpture dominates the Nightingale-Brown House’s gallery space. Gail Whitsitt-Lynch’s giant, abstract carving called “BitterSweet” has been on display since May, and leaves the exhibit today. “BitterSweet” was carved from the wood of a recently felled 94-yearold elm tree, which was cut down in 2014 after becoming infected with elm disease. The sculpture debuted at an event that attracted about 50 people, said Ron Potvin, curator of the exhibit and assistant director of the John Nicholas Brown Center. Since the opening event, the exhibit has attracted people interested in the history of the tree, as well as those from the art community interested in the sculpture itself, said Whitsitt-Lynch. Whitsitt-Lynch said the sculpture’s title mirrors the public’s sentiment about the tree: “things passing and changing and so forth.” Alone in the center of the exhibit space, “BitterSweet” is surrounded by four walls filled with photographs and blocks of text detailing both the process of creating the sculpture and the elm tree’s place in the history of Providence. Potvin said he was responsible for writing the text describing the history of this particular elm tree and of elm trees in the United States in general. T h rou g h out t h e e x h i bit’s
according to information provided by the Investment Office. Broad ranges for the weights of different asset classes are assigned by the Investment Committee. Dietze wrote that leveraged buyouts were the fund’s worst performing investments. “The buyout portion of our private equity portfolio performed below where we would have wanted this year,” she wrote. “We have defined a specific strategy and are actively executing on it to
improve the portfolio.” Dietze said she anticipates few changes in strategy after seeing this year’s returns, noting that the Investment Committee’s evaluation process is always ongoing. “We continually analyze each asset class within the context of the macroeconomic environment to determine the appropriate investment strategies, allocations and manager selection,” Dietze wrote.
» ENDOWMENT, from page 1 the largest endowment of any university, barely edged Brown at 5.8 percent. Dietze cited endowment size as a significant factor in the differences in the schools’ returns. Brown’s endowment is the smallest in the Ivy League. “The size of the endowment and the percentage the endowment represents of a University’s operating budget are two key factors that affect the amount of risk and therefore returns,” Dietze wrote. “A larger endowment affords a larger investment and operations team. Moreover, larger endowments can make larger investments, which allows them to negotiate lower fees and better terms.” The endowment distributed $155 million — $18,000 per student — as part of the operating budget. The Corporation limits the endowment’s contribution to the budget to roughly 5 percent of its value to ensure future growth. This year’s distribution composed 4.7 percent of the endowment’s value. The outlay makes up 16 percent of the 2016 operating budget. The largest source contributing to the budget is tuition and fees, which composes nearly half. Other major sources include sponsored funding, which encompasses grants from federal agencies and other groups supporting research, and auxiliary services, which are selfsupporting University operations such as Residential Life, Dining Services and Health Services. Sponsored funding and auxiliary services account for 12 and 11 percent of the budget, respectively, and fundraising adds another 6 percent. The endowment’s contribution to the budget goes toward “professorships,
COURTESY OF JOHN NICHOLAS BROWN CENTER FOR PUBLIC HUMANITIES
After losing a battle with elm disease, a 94-year-old tree finds a new life as a sculpture crafted by Gail Whitsitt-Lynch. development, Potvin’s text added a new dimension to the visuals of the exhibit that made the show successful, Whitsitt-Lynch said. The opportunity to unite visual art with the humanities in a single task created a “nice balance,” she said, adding that she hopes this balance was also communicated to the people who came to see the exhibit. “We both were very energized by the tree,” Whitsitt-Lynch said of herself and Potvin. Whitsitt-Lynch, who practices direct carving, said she had the chance to work directly with the trunk of the original elm tree while creating “BitterSweet.” When creating a carving, she looks at the object in front of her in order to see what the form suggests before starting carving, she said. Then, she begins “accentuating” what she likes and “getting rid of ” what she cares for less. Whitsitt-Lynch said she hopes to create artwork people will react to, with forms that are evocative enough to “kick in something from somewhere in (the viewer’s) past” and “set up the beginning of a conversation.” Whitsitt-Lynch said she poses questions to viewers through her artwork, in hopes of creating a personal, introspective experience to make each person “feel cooperative in what’s going on.” The Nightingale-Brown House holds the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage. Potvin said the John Nicholas Brown Center has been holding exhibits since 2006 and is open to suggestions for future exhibits dealing with local art or history.
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PAGE 4 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
» ITALY, from page 2 spent much of their time exploring the city they were in. The trip spanned four main destinations — Rome, the Vatican City, Florence and Milan. Of these four destinations, Florence may have emerged as the team’s favorite. “My favorite destination — and I think the team would agree — was Florence,” Ball said. “We all enjoyed bargaining in the leather markets, touring the city, going to the Duomo di Florence and seeing the statue of David.” Sharpe also noted the impressiveness of the Colosseum, the original Bellagio and Lake Como. The Bears enjoyed all Italy had to offer, including the local cuisine and tourist attractions. Day-to-day schedules included just about as much gelato as basketball, which Sharpe and Ball both wholeheartedly praised. Regarding basketball, the overseas start provided many advantages for a fledgling Brown squad. Facing Italian teams that were admittedly overmatched helped the Bears try out and refine different plays and sets in a more competitive setting than intrasquad scrimmages. “The teams we played all seemed to see the floor well and moved the ball well around the defense,” Ball said. “However, they did not have an attack mentality on offense that we see in most of the teams we play — the competition was not as strong … but it allowed us to improve and perfect our offensive and defensive sets.” Sharpe noted that the Bears “want to press more this year” and that the games in Italy helped them experiment with
that approach before the season. “We learned how to push the ball more up the court and have more ball movement on offense to get the open shot,” Ball said. “I also think our communication on defense significantly improved and all of these improvements carried over in our work in preseason.” “We learned a lot about our teammates’ strengths and how much more we can run on teams,” Sharpe said. “We want to do a lot more pressing this year, which will most likely lead to a lot of transition points.” Bruno ended its trip with a perfect 4-0 record, typically blowing out its opponent with a mixture of an increased tempo and high-pressure defense. But Ball and Sharpe stressed that the trip was about a lot more than on-thecourt performance. Spending a week and a half in another country with teammates brought them closer together off the court as well. “Our goals were to become closer as a team and get to know each other off the court,” Sharpe said. “We had some goals from last season that we wanted to take advantage of and wanted to win while we were there.” It was certainly a unique experience for the Bears, a team whose furthest travels took it to Iowa last season. Usually, basketball teams make their preseason adjustments in their home cities before embarking on the season, but this Brown team got its work done in a place a little further — and a little more special — than Rhode Island. “I mean, Providence doesn’t have the leaning tower of Pisa,” Sharpe said with a laugh.
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
» WEISER, from page 8 named The Herald’s Athlete of the Week. Herald: How long have you played water polo, and what got you interested in it? Weiser: I’ve played since I was eight. I got interested in it because I’m from Southern California, and it’s actually pretty popular in California. Most high schools in California have water polo teams, and swimming is popular too. My brother was a swimmer and so that got me into water-type things, and I just transitioned from swimming to water polo. Have you always been a goalie? Yeah, basically. Pretty early on, I started as a goalie, as I was never really fast. And in really young age groups, they put the slow kid in the goal. What’s the hardest part of playing in net? I think the hardest part is that a lot of it is pretty mental. If your team isn’t doing well, it’s hard to be the one to get the team back on the same page. Your performance is in big part due to how they’re doing. There can be a lot of easy momentum shifts, at least for me. Mentally, if I feel like my team is not doing as well, then sometimes it takes a toll on my game and me. What does it mean to you to be named Defensive Player of the Week so many times in a row? It’s really cool. The reason why I think it’s particularly cool is because I am a goalie, and so everything I do does
COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS
Luke Weiser ’17 was recently named the Northern Division Defensive Player of the Week by the Collegiate Water Polo Association. depend on how my team does. So if I’m getting Defensive Player of the Week, that means my team’s defense has been good for the last seven weeks. The times that I look like I’m doing well are when I’m blocking shots, which are the shots we want the other team to take. This means my defense is good at forcing the lowest percentage shot, which is awesome. What are your thoughts on the rest of the season? I have very high hopes for the season. I think that we have a really good team. We lost three really good players and gained four really good new ones — not
that I weigh one more than the other. I am definitely excited to get through the season and see how it goes. If you could play any other sport, what would it be? I would play basketball. I’m just not a runner. What’s your favorite place to eat at on campus? Andrews. The tacos are definitely the best thing I’ve had there. — This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
TODAY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
sci-line
menu SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS
Pizza: Buffalo Chicken, Harvest, Bacon Cheeseburger JOSIAH’S
BLUE ROOM
Made-to-Order Quesadillas
Soups: Clam Chowder, Chicken Tortilla, Minestrone Naked Burritos
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Cheese Quesadilla, Vegan Tex Mex Chili, Steak and Pepper Fajitas, BLT Sandwich
Tortellini Italiano with Sausage, Red Fish Provencale, Baked Sweet Potatoes
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Breaded Chicken Fingers, Vegan Nuggets, Fresh Vegetable Melange, Baked Beans
Cajun Baked Fish, Feta and Tomato Quiche, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Cole Slaw
sudoku
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Students studying on the upper floors of the Sciences Library Thursday saw clouds approaching on the horizon. Hurricane Joaquin hit the Bahamas Thursday but is projected to hit offshore of the East Coast this weekend.
comics Cat Ears | Najatee’ McNeil ‘17 RELEASE DATE– Friday, October 2, 2015
Los Angeles Times Puzzle c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 “I don’t like it!” 4 Waikiki allure 8 Like an old jalopy 14 Chemical suffix 15 Hesse-based automaker 16 Reporter’s coup 17 Man-mouse link 18 Angry young man’s fate? 20 Hill stint 22 Hershey bar 23 Bygone political entity that included Syr. 24 Hercules, e.g.? 28 South African golfer with four major championships 29 Be quite prevalent 30 Polite response to Aunt Polly 32 Seasonal affliction 33 Ingolstadt-based automaker 35 Crude carrier 39 Result of a Caribbean sanitation strike? 44 Poet Sexton 45 Popular melt meat 46 Einstein’s birth city 47 50-50, to Fifi 51 __ Council: “Survivor” feature 53 Rush 56 Proprietary paperwork? 59 “Well done!” analog 60 Pacific feast 61 Drudge 62 Ready-to-hang Cubist painting? 67 Indian state that was part of a former Portuguese colony 68 Tamsui River capital 69 Excited about, with “on” 70 “Monsters, __” 71 Magellan’s milieux 72 Breyers competitor 73 Require
DOWN 1 Regional organisms 2 Stimulant trademark 3 Jalapeño product, for some? 4 San José sun 5 News org. 6 Court charge caller 7 Soft tissue 8 In front of 9 Many sports commentators 10 Bee: Pref. 11 Chapeau seen in “Ratatouille” 12 Quotidian 13 Jury members 19 “__-doke!” 21 Apennines possessive 25 Ship loading site 26 Word on a bill 27 Old writings mentioning Odin 31 Open __ 32 Org. requiring milk pasteurization 34 The Bronx’s Jerome Ave. line is part of it 36 Mixture that dissolves gold 37 Rare twosome of July 2015
38 Pro __ 40 Pro’s support 41 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner 42 Regarding 43 Innocent 48 Big name in mustard 49 Wolf-headed god 50 One covering tracks, perhaps 52 Hit on the head
53 Book with steps 54 __ crest: pelvic border 55 Like H.P. Lovecraft stories 57 Tremble 58 Oreos, say 63 Org. monitoring endangered species 64 Letters of proof 65 Turn that’s hung 66 Chekov’s “Star Trek” rank: Abbr.
Comic Sans | Neille-Ann Tan ‘18
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EVENING OF LATIN JAZZ & AFRO CUBAN MUSIC 8:00 P.M. Watson Institute, McKinney Conference Room
BROWN TAIWAN SOCIETY NIGHT MARKET 6:00 P.M. Sayles Hall
SATURDAY RHODE ISLAND YOUTH SUMMIT ON THE ENVIRONMENT 10:00 A.M. Kasper Multipurpose Room
SASA GARBA DANCE FESTIVAL 8:00 P.M. Alumnae Hall Auditorium
SUNDAY EID BANQUET 7:00 P. M. Alumnae Hall Auditorium
MID TERM PREP WORKSHOP 7:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson, Room 203
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Brown Bites: Sept. 26–Oct. 2 BY MARCY HUANG
The Cosby Show isn’t so funny anymore Brown made nationwide news this week by revoking Bill Cosby’s honorary degree. Cosby, who has been accused of sexual assault by 35 women, received the honorary degree 30 years ago. President Paxson informed the Brown community of the decision in an email, writing, “It has become clear, by his own admission in legal depositions that became public this summer, that Mr. Cosby has engaged in conduct with women that is contrary to the values of Brown and the qualities for which he was honored by the University in 1985.” According to available records, the decision marks the second time in history that Brown has revoked an honorary degree. Pay day Obama’s College Scorecard is out, and Brown didn’t fare quite as well as some others in the Ivy League. While Harvard alums topped the list of Ivy Leaguers taking their diplomas to the bank — a Harvard alum who was on federal financial aid earned a median salary of $87,200 10 years after matriculating — Brown rounds out the list in dead last with a median salary of $59,700. Brown alums’ lower median salary might have to do with the significantly higher percentage of Brown alums who go into nonprofit work. In addition, the University also has the lowest gender earnings gap, with female Brown alums making on average $20,00 less than their male counterparts. When compared to Harvard’s $54,600 wage gap, Brown seems slightly less bad. At least we beat Harvard at something this week. Someone hire us While some Brown grads flock to the nonprofit sphere, others have utilized the CareerLAB and the Department of Computer Science’s Industry Partners Program to head to the tech and finance worlds. Based on a survey of LinkedIn accounts, Google, Microsoft and Goldman Sachs topped the list of companies where the most Brown alums are employed. Matt Donato, CareerLAB director, said the list of top companies employing Brown students “speaks well to the intelligence and competitiveness of our students on the job market.” Why thank you, Donato, but we also think it has to do with our dazzling good looks and sparkling personalities.
R O L A N D H IG H
CORRECTION An article in Thursday’s Herald (“Writing Center halts search for director,” Oct. 1) misspelled the last name of a Writing Center associate. He is Josh MacLeod, not MacCleod. The article also misstated that he is pursuing a master’s degree in anthropology. In fact, he is pursuing a PhD. The Herald regrets the errors.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“The carpet is stained with other people’s business.” — Allie Dolido ’18
This lecture is bananas (b-a-n-a-n-a-s) Brown Lecture Board announced that Jane Goodall will speak at Brown Oct. 19. Goodall is a world-renowned English primatologist who spent 55 years in Tanzania studying chimpanzees. While in Tanzania, she found that chimpanzees make and use tools and that they kill and eat meat, completely upturning conventional beliefs. Since then, she has founded the Jane Goodall Institute as well as the Roots and Shoots program. Here’s to hoping that she brings a baby chimp to Salomon 101.
See construction on page 2.
A few blocks from Block Island Meanwhile, outside of the Brown bubble and three miles off the coast of Block Island, Deep Water Wind is constructing the first offshore wind farm in the United States. The wind farm could decrease energy costs on Block Island by as much as 40 percent and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 40,000 tons each year. But the farm has faced opposition from residents who say the project has not been organized properly, with one even calling it “a Wall Street financial creation that intends to make a fortune at our expense.” The turbines are slated to begin producing electricity by fall 2016. We just hope the wind doesn’t ruin our ’dos.
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COMMENTARY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Symbolism matters ALLIE DOYLE opinions columnist
If you have checked Facebook, picked up a newspaper or spoken to a Brown student over the last few days, you are likely well aware that the University has chosen to revoke Bill Cosby’s honorary degree awarded to him in 1985, following the lead of Fordham University and Marquette University. This decision came in response to allegations of sexual assault against the previously loved comedian by 35 women. In Bluestockings Magazine, Annie Furuyama ’18 eloquently criticizes the move as a publicity stunt that attempts to erase Brown’s lackluster record fighting sexual assault and violence in general. It’s true that the simple removal of a largely meaningless degree is no substitute for structural change, but when looking at a university or other prestigious institution, symbolism matters. Acts of sexual harassment or sexual assault are easily misconstrued as personal matters irrelevant to membership in an unrelated prestigious community. There is little to no boundary between the
personal and the political in cases of public figures. Cosby’s current situation is reminiscent of that of Lance Armstrong only a few years ago. In 2012, the beloved cyclist and cancer survivor was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles in response to his use of steroids. This might seem like an obvious punishment, as the
To be clear, this comparison in no way equates Cosby’s disgusting misdoings with Armstrong’s doping. The former robbed dozens of women of their autonomy, while the latter simply engaged in a popular cheating mechanism in an athletic event — an arguably victimless crime. Still, Cosby, like Armstrong, did
such prominent institutions. Though he has not officially been charged yet, it seems the star of the Cosby Show is slowly getting the symbolic punishment he deserves. So what? As Furuyama points out, Brown is structurally the same institution — with the same flaws — that it was before making this expression of community values.
It’s true that the simple removal of a largely meaningless degree is no substitute for structural change, but when looking at a university or other prestigious institution, symbolism matters.
steroids could have interfered with his performance at the competition and were strictly prohibited among participants. Yet this wasn’t his only formal sanction. Armstrong quickly lost eight of his 11 sponsors, including Nike. This is because any type of sponsorship, whether it be through funding or an honorary degree, involves endorsing a person as a whole. An institution simply cannot choose to endorse a specific skill while ignoring all other character traits.
have a positive effect on many communities. Fordham cited his role in “breaking the color barrier in American television and popular culture” as grounds for his honorary degree. Unfortunately, to endorse one’s achievements is to endorse one’s flaws. For this reason, Brown, Fordham and Marquette should be commended for stripping Cosby of accolades simply because his actions have not lived up to the moral expectations and values set forth by
Yet it is unfair to ignore the University’s progress on the subject. Since the alleged assault of Lena Sclove ’15.5 in 2013, Brown has implemented huge changes in its sexual assault complaint process, including the creation of a Title IX Oversight and Advisory Board and a less time-intensive and traumatic procedure for survivors to seek help. These changes stem from dialogue. The University has been forced to respond to pressures stemming from a protest last spring that
drew hundreds of students, countless editorials and survey findings. Put simply, words matter. So whether or not publicity was taken into consideration, President Christina Paxson’s P’19 explicit expression of Brown’s values cannot be fairly seen as anything but positive. The only alternative would have been to continue to endorse a perpetrator for some semblance of consistency in policy. This option is as ridiculous as it sounds. The University should be actively changing its identity to one that supports survivors instead of wallowing in its past. Hypocrisy is an ugly quality. We learn from a young age to “practice what you preach.” Still, there are worse things in the world than hypocrisy, and support of sexual abuse is one of them. Unfortunately, preaching often must preclude practicing when it comes to University policy changes. And simply preaching is still better than doing nothing. So the symbolic setting of expectations for members of the Brown community makes me optimistic for the University’s future regarding such an important issue.
Allie Doyle ’18 is probably at Baja’s.
Picking an English Premier League team: part two JOE DIEHL sports columnist
Last week, I tackled the first five English Premier League teams. This week, I’ll cover seven more teams with more cynicism and even cruder assessments. Let’s get to it. 6. Everton NFL team comparison: Cincinnati Bengals Everton is a relatively young team that was supposed to do great things last season after an encouraging fifth-place finish the previous year. Alas, its young midfield engine Ross Barkley lost his promising form and the team tanked to 11th place. Year after year, the Bengals with quarterback Andy Dalton lose their composure in the first round of the playoffs. Both franchises have a similar mix of promise and disappointment. Sports-hipster category: supporter of the wrong microbrewery. You say you’ve found the one. Snail’s Shell IPA is the next big thing to hit Williamsburg. Then you realize the beer is way too hoppy, and you’ve fooled yourself once again. That’s like rooting for Everton to become globally relevant. 7. Leicester City NFL team comparison: Philadelphia Eagles Leicester City is one of the most exciting teams to watch in the EPL. It attacks with an all-out attitude amid a shaky defensive line. But for as much excitement as it brings to the pitch, its roster has the chance to implode at any moment. Kind of like the Eagles. Sports-hipster category: exclusive organic honey buyer News flash: all honey comes from bees. They all fly around and pick up shit from the air. Organic honey isn’t any less polluted. Supporting
Leicester is like trying too hard to buy organic honey. If you support Leicester, you’ll probably be proud of yourself until someone tells you Bournemouth is doing the same thing but is way more trendy and practical. 8. Liverpool NFL team comparison: New Orleans Saints After finishing second two seasons ago and scoring over 100 goals in the league, Liverpool tumbled to a seventh-place finish last year. The Saints have suffered a more gradual but no less spectacular decline. Neither team will be successful with its current roster construction, but
Two important connections. Each team has its league’s richest owners. And they’re both really good at their sport. In fact, both of them won a championship two years ago. Sports-hipster category: Hard-core glamper Glamping, or “glamorous camping,” isn’t even hipster at all. It’s a rich person’s dream that is kind of different from what everyone normally does. Supporting City is the exact same idea. 10. Manchester United NFL team comparison: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Newcastle has a book written about its long and painful history entitled “Fifty Years of Hurt.” Someone should write volume two for the Bills.
don’t tell that to their fans. Sports-hipster category: someone who thinks hipsters are still cool Supporting Liverpool is all about denial. You think after being one of the most successful teams in the past, Liverpool will soon return to glory. Nonsense. You’re in almost as much denial about Liverpool being cool as someone who believes hipsters are relevant today. Haven’t you heard about the New Age Urban Intellectual Yuppie? Oh, you haven’t? I guess you’re mainstream then. 9. Manchester City NFL Team comparison: Seattle Seahawks
This doesn’t make any sense in terms of the successes of the two teams. But they’re both owned by Malcolm Glazer, and it feels wrong to not pair them together. I also can’t bring myself to say anything cynical about my beloved Red Devils. Sports-hipster category: Oliver Peoples wearer Oliver Peoples were all the rage a few decades ago, and now they are fully back. They never really go out of style, but sometimes they’re really in style. Supporting United has the same logic behind it. Sometimes they’ll do poorly in a year, but you’ll never fully reach full hipster credibility with this team.
11. Newcastle United NFL team comparison: Buffalo Bills Newcastle is in the north of England and has pretty horrible weather. Buffalo is in the north of New York and has even more atrocious weather. Newcastle has a book written about its long and painful history entitled “Fifty Years of Hurt.” Someone should write volume two for the Bills. Sports-hipster category: failed co-op owner You opened a co-op somewhere in Canada, refusing to put heat anywhere in the name of saving the environment. You spent all of your considerable fortune on adding a free-range chicken farm in the middle of your complex. The first year, you had five people stay there, leave in three days and vow to never return. As you stoke a fire in the Canadian wilderness, you feel utterly hopeless and depressed. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about Newcastle. 12. Norwich City NFL team comparison: Green Bay Packers Same color scheme, same model of ownership, same historical aura — three things you could say unite Norwich City and Green Bay. One thing you cannot say about the teams: they’re both good. Hint: Norwich is not good. Sports-hipster category: minimal tattoo enthusiast Getting arrows and anchors on your wrists is cute and all, but it ultimately doesn’t really mean anything. Unless you want to be a barista or barber. Supporting Norwich will only get you the same obscure benefits.
Joe Diehl ’18 secretly wants to be stoking a fire in the Canadian wilderness. Contact him at joseph_diehl@brown.edu to venture up north.
SPORTS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015
Upward trend for developing Celtics BY CHARLIE BLASBERG sports columnist
Paul Pierce isn’t walking through that door, Kevin Garnett isn’t walking through that door and Ray Allen isn’t walking through that door. What we are is young, exciting, hard-working and going to improve. Over the last two Celtics seasons, Rick Pitino’s press conference rant has been playing on repeat in my head. The sooner we say goodbye to the stars of old, the sooner the team will improve. Last season, the Celtics’ front office and fans did just that. They moved on. And the team pleasantly surprised us by making a lateseason playoff push, which resulted in it clinching the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. While the season was definitely not all positive, coach Brad Stevens did a remarkable job steering the young team through numerous trades and shifts in personnel. Given that halfway through the season, the Celtics considered being a lottery team, their playoff appearance speaks to their scrappiness and confidence. Though they lack the star power that sells tickets in Miami and
Cleveland, these Celtics constitute a team of coming attractions. Brad Stevens, entering his third year as an NBA coach, continues to impress. He reminds me of a more vocal Bill Belichick. His poise on the sideline, his emphasis on defense and the way he keeps his players level-headed and humble are attributes that the Patriots’ steely-eyed mastermind has in spades. Stevens came to the Celtics with daunting shoes to fill, after the C’s parted ways with the legendary Doc Rivers. His job was not to fill Doc’s place, though. He needed to master the transition from college to the pros and learn to use his players to the best of their abilities. Doc was dealt a very talented hand; Stevens was dealt a young one. The Celtics floundered during their first year under Stevens, but they drastically improved under difficult circumstances last year. This year, Stevens knows his returning players and has had a say in the new ones. He is comfortable coaching in the NBA, and it is apparent through his press conferences that he is taking ownership of the team’s performance more than in the previous two seasons. The Celtics’ youth is also exciting. The majority of players on the roster range from 22 to 26 years old,
and they only have one player over 30: David Lee, a 6-foot-9 power forward whom they acquired from the world-champion Golden State Warriors. Compare this group to the Celtics of 2012-13, a team on which the two best players — Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett — were (and somehow still are) riding out the tail ends of their careers. Jared Sullinger has replaced Paul Pierce as the Cetlics’ go-to scorer, and he has very much emulated Pierce’s style of manufacturing points. Sullinger, like Pierce, complements his jump shot with a variety of moves to the hoop that either result in a layup, a fall-away jump shot or a trip to the free throw line. Beside Sullinger, Evan Turner — also a former Ohio State Buckeye — established himself as a dangerous scoring weapon at the end of last season, as he posted three tripledoubles in the last half of the year. Expect Sullinger and Turner to feed off each other and lead a multifaceted offense. Finally, the Celtics defense also improved during last season and over the offseason. To go along with defensive guards Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart, the Celtics now have size that can jam up the interior in a way they haven’t in the past few
years. Adding Perry Jones’ defensive process to the rim perfection of seven footers Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller, the defense will be able to block shots and combat shortrange attempts better than last year. Through the first week of training camp, Brad Stevens has been particularly impressed with the defense of Jae Crowder and newcomer Amir Johnson. An offseason free-agent acquisition, Johnson has already made strides fitting into this unfamiliar defense, as his lack of mistakes and focus on the team stuck out to his coaches and teammates. I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but this Celtics team is not a championship team. They have yet to prove themselves against the bullies of the Eastern Conference, but I expect them to be a solid playoff contender, earning maybe a fifth or sixth seed. They will also be an exciting team to watch. With the newest big-three gone, it is time to look to the younger players to form the next big-three.
Charlie Blasberg ’18 was mistaken for a player at the Celtics’ training camp this year. Tell him to run harder at charles_blasberg@brown.edu.
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Weiser ’17 leads stalwart Brown defense
No. 12 Bears on fourgame winning streak after topping Ivy foe Harvard in Cambridge last week By EMILE BAUTISTA SPORTS STAFF WRITER
The men’s water polo team has been on fire lately. The No. 12 Bears (10-3) are currently riding a four-game winning streak, and at the core of the defense is goalkeeper Luke Weiser ’17. In his last two games, the Los Alamitos, Calif. native recorded 25 saves and added an assist and a steal against Harvard (6-6). As a result of his efforts, the Collegiate Water Polo Association named Weiser the Northern Division Defensive Player of the Week for the seventh straight week dating back to last season. This marks the first time in CWPA history that a player has claimed Player, Rookie or Defensive Player of the Week honors for this many consecutive weeks. For his performances in the pool and accolades out of it, Weiser has been » See WEISER, page 4