Wednesday, November 30, 2016 by The Brown Daily Herald

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

VOLUME CLI, ISSUE 114

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U. consistently admits male applicants at higher rate U. received 50 percent more applications from women than men in 2014-15 application cycle STAFF WRITER

consideration.” This spring, the University will celebrate 125 years of women on campus, culminating in an alumni conference. “Here is Brown patting itself on the back while, for the last 10 years, they’ve been blatantly discriminating against women,” Birger said.

With the early decision admission process underway, one factor may hold more weight than applicants realize: gender. For the past 15 years, the University has accepted male applicants at a rate 3 to 4 percentage points higher than that of female applicants. While this phenomenon is not specific to Brown, it has caught the eye of one particular alum. In a column in the Washington Post, Jon Birger ’90 claims that many private colleges and universities, including his alma mater, “discriminate against female applicants.” While Brown’s female applicants are accepted at a lower rate than males, they have still comprised the majority of the undergraduate student body since 1994, when female enrollment first outpaced male enrollment at the undergraduate level. “It shouldn’t be twice as hard for the women to get in based on their gender,” Birger told The Herald. “They shouldn’t be taking gender into

Gender balance For the 2014-15 application cycle, the University received roughly 50 percent more female applicants than male. From this lopsided applicant pool, 11 percent of males were admitted versus 8 percent of females, ultimately producing a freshman class with a 54-46 female-male gender ratio for the class of 2019. “We’re trying to bring in a class of interesting, talented students from diverse backgrounds, but gender balance is critically important to us,” said Logan Powell, dean of admission. “We do strive to have gender balance on campus, so being close to 50-50 would always be our goal. But we’re never going to make a decision on the basis of gender alone.” Gender balance is a goal in admission offices across the country, particularly at liberal arts colleges. “Today, a lot of the private schools are obsessed with keeping their gender ratio as close » See ADMISSION, page 2

By BAYLOR KNOBLOCH

ELI WHITE / HERALD

Rep. Aaron Regunberg ’12, D-Providence, speaks at Resist Hate Brown, a gathering for students to discuss reactions to Donald Trump’s election win and plans for community action going forward.

Students brainstorm methods of resistance Local organization, government leaders recommend ways students can affect change By LAURA FELENSTEIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Resist Hate Brown, a brainstorming event held in conjunction with Resist Hate RI Tuesday night, allowed students to learn about and discuss how to move forward following the presidential election of Donald Trump. Local organiz-

ers from the American Civil Liberties Union, Direct Action for Rights and Equality and Planned Parenthood discussed community engagement and mobilization to an audience of several dozen students in Salomon 001. Organizer Gabe Zimmerman ’17.5 got the idea of arranging Resist Hate Brown after attending a Resist Hate RI event at Hope High School last Saturday. “It was something that really inspired me,” he said. He left the meeting wanting to immediately “replicate this on Brown’s campus for people who are confused and don’t know what to do in the face

of this (election).” Before representatives and officials spoke about how students can get involved, audience members broke into small groups and answer three questions: What is something you fear about a Trump presidency? What is an action you’re willing to take to resist that feared outcome? And what is a strength you could bring to that fight? In these groups, many expressed fears regarding the normalization of Trump’s rhetoric and the possibility of increased passivity as people lose the » See RESIST HATE, page 3

Exhibition examines Kurds’ current plight ‘Starboy’ struggles with The Weeknd’s relationships, fame Fatma Bucak’s art reflects experiences of Kurdish people, balances delicate issues of border politics

Abel Tesfaye’s newest album brings Motown instrumentals, self-pitying lyrics in cry for sympathy

By CONNOR SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

Plaintively strewn Damask flowers, grief-stricken video displays of Turkish newspapers and a demoralizing lithograph e nu m e r at i n g the fallen speak volumes about the concrete consequences of borders in Fatma Bucak’s exhibit, “And Men Turned Their Faces From There.” The installation, which opened Nov. 19 in the List Art Center’s Bell Gallery, examines the nuanced plight of the Kurdish people in Turkey. Dubbed “the most relevant exhibition of 2016” by Rhode Island Monthly, the exhibit serves as an arresting and eye-opening testament to the experiences of the Kurds living along the Turkish-Syrian border. Bucak was born in Iskenderun,

By JACLYN TORRES ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

ARTS & CULTURE

INSIDE

Every artist draws inspiration from similar recurring themes that persist throughout the trajectory of their music careers: the struggles of fame, failed relationships and the difficult balance between celebrity and normality. While some artists pinpoint a particular theme, all three are often so deeply interwoven that one track can contain a mixture of multiple themes. Abel Tesfaye — more commonly known as The Weeknd — released his latest album, “Starboy,” Friday and discusses all three of the main themes often covered by musicians. The eponymous first track, “Starboy,” featuring Daft Punk, combines Tesfaye’s

ARTS & CULTURE

HUAYU OUYANG / HERALD

“And Men Turned Their Faces From There,” Fatma Bucak’s exhibit, reflects the nuanced circumstances of Kurds living along the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkey — a town that skirts the Syrian border and wholly embodies the artist’s sense of liminality. No stranger to border issues as a Turkish-born Kurd, Bucak addresses the concerns of the Kurdish population and the broader Syrian migration crisis with authority.

Her latest exhibit encompasses a broad range of mediums that navigate their own precarious artistic borders. Everything from video performances depicting women scrubbing Turkish newspapers as a commentary on the » See EXHIBIT, page 2

struggle to deal with his fame with how it plays into his personal relationships. While the instrumentals are catchy with varying beats and a mixture of slow and upbeat tones, the lyrics are almost a cry for help. He wants the listener to have sympathy for him as he deals with the pitfalls of his fame. He defines himself as a “starboy,” yet sings of his loneliness and unhappiness his success. The album continues in this nature, as Tesfaye sings of the challenge of stardom and celebrity. He grapples with returning to normality but ultimately does not wish to go back to his former life before music, touring and fame. He teeters on the verge of greatness but is held back by loneliness and the need for a relationship. “Party Monster,” “False Alarm,” “Rockin’” and “A Lonely Night” all continue this desperate plea. But in its own way, the album is irresistible. With catchy, Motown instrumentals, it’s impossible to turn away from the music, as the listener subconsciously dances to the beat and sways to the rhythm. It’s only when truly listening » See ‘STARBOY’, page 3

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

NEWS Alum creates network Evertrue Ventures to connect students to startup funding opportunities

SPORTS Late shot from Blackmon ’17, Bryant mistake allows Bruno to secure last-minute victory

COMMENTARY Murage ’17: Afrisa should support, prioritize needs of continental African students

COMMENTARY Vilsan ’19: Structural misogyny persists despite claims that men, women on equal footing

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NEWS

PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

» ADMISSION, from page 1 to 50-50 as possible,” said Birger, who explores the issue of gender ratios in his book “Date-Onomics: How Dating Became a Lopsided Numbers Game.” If 50-50 is the goal, then a femalemale ratio of 60-40 seems to be the upper limit that colleges are willing to hit. “If you look at, for the most part, smaller liberal arts colleges, they are in a position where they really do have to make some decisions on the basis of gender. Otherwise, their gender balance would begin to be higher than 60 percent female. And I think for those small liberal arts colleges, that’s the tipping point,” Powell said. This unspoken upper limit for female enrollment is not a new phenomenon. In 2006, Kenyon College’s Associate Dean of Admissions Jennifer Delahunty Britz wrote a New York Times op-ed that notes the 60 percent tipping point, a threshold that, when passed, elicits “a hint of desperation in the voices of admissions officers,” she wrote. The fear is that, once an undergraduate student body becomes more than 60 percent female, the school will be less appealing to both male and female applicants. “Once you become decidedly female in enrollment, fewer males and, as it turns out, fewer females find your campus attractive,” Britz wrote. But Birger said he doesn’t find this a compelling reason to admit male and female applicants at different rates. “Putting your thumb on the scale and fixing the admissions process to make the social scene more palatable — I don’t think that’s right,” he said. But Powell maintains that the University has yet to reach this “tipping point,” at which “you really do have to start thinking about some very deliberate actions, either on the recruiting side … or deliberately in the admissions process,” he said. “We do not do that. We do not recruit men any differently than we do women. We don’t admit men any differently than we do women.” How it’s legal Had both male and female applicants to the Brown University class of 2019 been admitted at the average rate of 9.5 percent, the admitted students would have been 60 percent female, broaching the “tipping point” territory. Instead, the University admitted

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Admission rates for male and female applicants Female undergraduate applicants face a lower acceptance rate due to the fact that the University receives roughly 50 percent more female applicants than male applicants.

20 percent

15 Acceptance rate for male applicants

Acceptance rate for female applicants

0 2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

2013

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Jon Birger ’90 EMMA JERZYK / HERALD

female applicants more selectively to yield a freshman class with a gender ratio closer to 50-50. Private colleges and universities like Brown are able to consider gender as a factor for admission due to a so-called “loophole” in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. “The original Title IX, as people began to think about introducing it, was ‘no sex discrimination in any school that gets federal funds,’” said Bernice Sandler, a women’s rights activist and key figure in the creation of Title IX. But lobbyists from private colleges and universities — particularly those in the Ivy League — opposed certain facets of the law and fought to maintain their ability to consider gender when admitting undergraduate students. Adding an exemption for private institutions seemed like the only way to get Title IX passed, so the modification was made to the legislation, Sander said. “When Title IX was being passed, this was the most important change in the law,” Sandler said. “Originally, it was no discrimination,” but “we couldn’t get anybody to support it.”

When Title IX became law in 1972, it dictated that “private schools are allowed to discriminate on the basis of sex” in admission, a change to the legislation that Sandler said she “tried to fight.” Today, private colleges and universities use this loophole to maintain gender balance in their undergraduate populations despite the dearth of male applicants. Sandler still laments the loophole. “It’s there, and I’m still unhappy about it because it does mean that some of the men (who) are accepted aren’t as smart as some of the women they turn away,” she said, speaking to the national issue at private colleges and universities across the country. Where are the boys? In addition to considering gender the admission process, some schools are investing in efforts that they hope will attract more male applicants. Just this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that in the last 10 years, 86 colleges and universities have added football programs to their campuses to address the gender disparity,

» EXHIBIT, from page 1 press to a series of 84 photographs is on full display. These components each instance a particular “ethical intentionality,” said Bell Gallery Curator Ian Russell, who came to know the artist during his time abroad in Turkey. Bucak “just has this inexplicable, innate ability to render beautiful images,” Russell said. “That’s what initially attracted me to her work.” But what really elevates Bucak’s work is the counter-cultural creative’s capacity to explore delicate issues of geography and politics, Russell added. “Art can be a very powerful platform for people to reflect on these situations,” he said, highlighting the relevance of Bucak’s exhibit not only to the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, but also to the United States’ own

and 67 of these schools saw an immediate increase in male enrollment. Other schools may be enhancing certain academic programs in hopes of attracting more male applicants. In recent years, the University has invested $88 million in a new engineering building, slated to be completed in early 2018. “The fact that they’re investing in a program that has more men than women is not a coincidence,” Birger said. In the spring of 2016, 65 percent of engineering degrees granted by the University went to male graduates. Additionally, 66 percent of the degrees that the University granted in physical science went to male graduates. And for the class of 2020, there were 16 percent more male applicants interested in physical sciences than female applicants, Powell said. The University’s acceptance of males and females at different rates stems from “a real attempt to try to recruit, admit and enroll more students, male or female, interested in the physical sciences,” and “it just happens to be the case that there are more young men

interested in the physical sciences than there are young women interested in the physical sciences,” Powell added. “In my perfect world, (the School of Engineering) is equally compelling to young men and young women,” Powell said. But, he added, “the fact that we have an engineering program — and many liberal arts colleges do not — is a big driving force behind who is interested in Brown by gender.” Powell said there is “nothing deliberate on our part” to reach the 3 to 4 percentage point difference in male and female admission rates, but rather that this statistic is actually “a reflection of our attempt to strengthen particular academic programs,” he said. As the University aims to bolster its presence in the physical sciences, male applicants are inadvertently favored in the admission process, Powell said. “As an alum,” Birger said, he is “skeptical” of this argument. “No matter what the motivation is, it’s clear that they are favoring male applicants,” Birger said. “Which is more important to you, having fair, sex-blind admissions, or filling every seat in a particular department?”

border issues. “I’ll always be attracted to that aspect of art.” Russell, as a curator for the University, carries a certain responsibility to spotlight the work of underrepresented artists. “I really feel I best serve the Brown community as a sort of advocate,” Russell said, noting his ethical duty to seek grants from foundations that make new works in the Bell Gallery possible. In accordance with Russell’s vision, he partnered Bucak with the AS220 print shop, which aided her in mending the exhibit’s lithograph. The lithograph, a composite of magnesium carbonate and the crushed rubble of the homes of Kurdish citizens destroyed by Turkish forces, serves as a canvas on which Bucak inscribed the names of those victimized by the crisis. Though not as explicit in

illustrating the profound tragedies created by borders, the Damask flowers might be the exhibit’s most singular display. Bucak’s intention was for the exhibit to contain 150 flowers. Brought to Providence from Syria via Lebanon and Turkey, the flowers took a circuitous journey that led to the destruction of 100 of them by Italian customs and Syrian border patrol. Bucak, in the apotheosis of her formidable resilience to the migratory issues of the 21st century, hand carried the remaining 50 on her journey across the Atlantic. “And Men Turned Their Faces From There” will be on display until Feb. 5. While her work’s tenure in the Bell Gallery might be limited to a few months, Bucak, riding out the political tides of change, crests a new creative wave with the exhibit’s uncanny sense of relevance.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Arts & Culture Roundup BY REBECCA ELLIS, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Poetry and Tea Enjoy a sophisticated afternoon of poetry and tea with Ama Codjoe ’01, who will return to Brown Wednesday evening to discuss her poetry and writing process. Codjoe will speak at the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. After receiving her A.B. in English from Brown, Codjoe went on to receive fellowships from the Atlantic Center for the Arts, the Cave Canem Foundation, the Callaloo Creative Writing Workshop and the creative writing department at New York University. Codjoe, a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, has had her poetry featured in the Prairie Schooner, the Callaloo, Pluck! and the Washington Square Review.

Marlon James at List Friday afternoon, novelist Marlon James will read his prizewinning literature, which includes “The Book of Night Women,” “John Crow’s Devil” and “A Brief History of Seven Killings.” Presented by the Department of Literary Arts, the reading will take place in Room 120 of the List Art Building beginning at 5:30 p.m. In 2015, James won the Man Booker Prize, the United Kingdom’s leading literary award, with his 2014 novel “A Brief History of Seven Killings.” James is the first Jamaican author to receive the prestigious British award and has been lauded by the New York Times as an author with “vaulting ambition and prodigious talent.”

Last Ball The Brown Ballroom Dance Club is throwing its final social of the year Friday evening, “Snowball.” The ball, held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., will kick off with a beginner lesson and continue into the night with general dancing, a photo booth and holiday treats. No experience is necessary, and admission is free for all Brown and Rhode Island School of Design students.

‘Black Mechanics’ “Black Mechanics: The Making of an American University and a Nation,” the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts’ newest exhibit, will open Thursday evening at 6 p.m. The installation, presented by the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, explores the role slavery played in the founding of America and its universities. Through pieces such as a commissioned poem by Evie Shockely, artist Joseph Holston’s series “Colors in Freedom” and artifacts from local archives, the exhibit explores the oft forgotten role of slave labor in the founding of elite universities like Brown.

» ‘STARBOY’, from page 1 to the lyrics of the tracks that the album becomes irksome. The songs begin to blend together, essentially covering the same themes and bursting with a tragic cry for sympathy. It does not help that the album, which includes 18 tracks, is a major investment of a listener’s time. The album culminates with arguably the best track “I Feel It Coming,” featuring Daft Punk. In this last song, Tesfaye sings of finding a girl who is scared of love, yet he practically forces

love upon her. The lyrics are filled with overeager sexual undertones and leave the listener more irritated than at the start of the album. From “Starboy” to “I Feel It Coming,” Tesfaye comes full circle by the end of the album, still in a love-hate relationship with his celebrity status and still failing at finding a romantic relationship. Tesfaye learned nothing from writing his most recent album, but perhaps his next one will reveal greater depths of his character and bring him some insight and introspection into what he ultimately wants.

COURTESY OF EVERTRUE VENTURES

Matthew Kittay ’03 speaks at the DigitalBrown event in November in New York City. The launch of Evertrue Venutres, founded by Michael MacCombie ’11, was announced at the event.

Alum connects Brown startups to funding Evertrue Ventures aims to foster growth in startups created by Brown students through funding options By PRIYA PODUGU STAFF WRITER

Evertrue Ventures, a network that aims to connect student entrepreneurs with alums who can provide mentorship and investment, launched this month. Michael MacCombie ’11 created Evertrue Ventures after noting a lack of resources to help students grow their startups after they leave Brown, he said. The University offers resources to help students start projects but provides less support than other Ivy League schools in helping students grow their ventures post-graduation, MacCombie added. The University’s current programs are geared toward helping students learn how to start their own companies but do not provide help with finding funding once they take off, said Adam Alpert ’17, co-founder of Pangea, an

» RESIST HATE, from page 1 energy to continue resisting. “You don’t really give up on things like this,” said Abby Godino, an organizer from the Rhode Island Working Families Party, in her group discussion. Following the group discussions, the first speaker on the agenda was Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island branch of the ACLU. Brown’s lecture was focused on taking action at a local level — reminding audience

app that helps students communicate and advertise their skills. “As an entrepreneur at Brown, it’s hard to know where to start” with company funding, Alpert said. “There aren’t many existing structures to connect you with Brown alumni for investment, and thinking about finding company funding can be a daunting and stressful process,” he said. Those resources are very limited, but Evertrue Ventures “fills a need that is not being met,” he added. The support that Evertrue Ventures offers students and young alums is necessary given the recent glut of “entrepreneurial activity” on campus, MacCombie said. This progress is not surprising given that students here are “entrepreneurial by nature,” said Valentin Perez ’18, president of the Brown Entrepreneurship Program. Many students are attracted to Brown by its open curriculum, which fosters “creativity and independence” and is entrepreneurial by definition, he added. Daniel Warshay, executive director

of the Jonathan M. Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, also expressed this point of view. “The entrepreneurship center is in some ways a reflection of the inherent entrepreneurial features” embedded in Brown’s culture, Warshay said. “We think of entrepreneurship as a methodology to help solve problems. If you think about it in that way, then it has very wide and broad applications” that transcend working in business, Warshay said. The Center for Entrepreneurship is meant to be an “honest broker and supporter of all students,” Warshay said. Because of this, the center cannot formally be involved in the investment process or make or manage investment portfolios, but it encourages students to meet with external entities, like Evertrue Ventures, for support, he added. Companies like Evertrue can encourage more collaboration within the entrepreneurial community at Brown and “help students pursue entrepreneurship as an actual career path,” Perez said.

members that states can uphold rights that the federal government doesn’t protect — and that Trump’s power is limited. He recommended calling state and local representatives when issues crop up as “a very simple, but I think very effective, way of making your position known and having an impact,” Brown said. Rep. Aaron Regunberg ’12, DProvidence, spoke next. “I’m scared, and you’re scared, and we should be scared,” he said. But “we shouldn’t let it paralyze us, … and we shouldn’t lose hope.” Regunberg also focused on the importance of acting on a local level to hold politicians accountable. “Every senator counts,” he said. “We need to put the pressure on our federal delegation” that Democratic constituents are looking for “bold, fierce opposition,” not appeasement. Zeroing in on an even more local community, Sophia Wright from DARE spoke about how as a university, Brown has resources that could be beneficial to those in need following Trump’s election. Wright passed out a list of actions that Brown could take to show support, including non-compliance with Immigration and Customs Enforcement by the Brown campus police and a commitment to provide housing and sponsor student and employment visas for

undocumented members of the Providence community. Wright also encouraged supporting the Community Safety Act, which works against racial profiling and promotes transparency in policing. “When one person’s life is devalued, all of our lives are devalued,” she said. Above all, Wright emphasized the importance of educating oneself. “Know when it’s your time to step up and when it’s your time to step back,” she said. “A lot of these issues are not new to communities of color.” She added that learning about these issues is the first step, especially for white people, in building a sustainable resistance against racism and white supremacy in this country. Lilith Todd ’18, an undergraduate working for Planned Parenthood, highlighted the importance of knowing one’s government. She pointed out that abortion is not protected by the state in Rhode Island, and should Roe v. Wade be overturned, abortion would automatically be illegal in the state. Similarly, Sabine Adrian ’13, a representative from the Coalition for Safer Rhodes, said that due to the ambiguity in different definitions about what a sanctuary city is, “we don’t know what it means when Mayor (Jorge) Elorza says he wants to make Providence a sanctuary city.”

NEWS

PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

In My Mother’s House

One day Lina Fruzzetti receives a photograph from Italy with the words, “If this is your father, we are cousins.” The photo is of her father, who died when she was three. The film “In My Mother’s House” follows Fruzzetti on her decade-long quest to understand a family divided against the backdrop of colonial rule, war, emigration and the global world we live in today.

A film by Ákos Östör and Lina Fruzzetti, Professor of Anthropology Brown University November 30, 2016 5:00 p.m. A reception will follow Smith-Buonanno Hall Room 106 95 Cushing Street Providence, RI Sponsored by the Office of the Provost

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

hall of mirrors

SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS

Pizza: Bacon Chicken Ranch, Spinach and Feta, Pepperoni and Meatball Chipotle Chicken Tacos JOSIAH’S

BLUE ROOM

Jo’s Unbaked Enchiladas

Beef Chili Hearty Country Vegetable Soup

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Cajun Spiced Chicken, Samosa Patties, Parslied Rice, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Ginger Chicken Pasta, Orange Teriyaki Haddock, Freekeh Sauté with Roasted Tofu

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Mac and Cheese Bar, Broccoli and Cheese Rice Casserole, Rice Krispie Treats with M&M’s

Grilled Chicken Cilantro, Siena Roasted Couscous, Fagioli Soup, Pumpkin Cake

sudoku

GUS REED / HERALD

A trip to List Art Building is incomplete without observing student art hung in the hallways. Visitors to the third floor are greeted by self-portraits and mixed-media pieces.

crossword

Q U O T E O F T H E D AY

“Nobody panicked. ” — Mike Martin ’04, men’s basketball head coach

See men’s basketball on BACK.

CORRECTION An article in Tuesday’s Herald (“Elitzer, Silver win Marshall Scholarship,” Nov. 29) stated that Evan Silver ’16 said he “didn’t hold back (his) liberalness” and was worried about offending the interviewer. In fact, he said he “did not hold back at all” regarding his liberal politics. The Herald regrets the error.

calendar TODAY NOVEMBER

Statins and Their Effects on Cognition 1:00 P.M. Rhode Island Hospital

Can Policy Crowd Out Culture? 4:00 P.M. McKinney Conference Room

Queer Alliance Thanksgiving 7:00 P.M. LGBTQ Resource Center

Ghanaian Drumming and Dance Concert 8:00 P.M. Grant Recital Hall

TOMORROW Warring States and Han Dynasty China 5:30 P.M. Rhode Island Hall, 108

Ableism Workshop 7:00 P.M. Petteruti Lounge

Orchestra Concert 8:00 P.M. Sayles Hall Auditorium

SPEC Presents: Candyland! 8:00 P.M. Alumnae Hall

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

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R O L A N D H IG H

comic P-Branes and Bosons | Ricky Oliver

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016 • PAGE 7

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Afrisa for whom? DANIEL MURAGE op-ed contributor If we are to believe the media and historical texts, then most African governments were corrupt, are corrupt or are on their way to corruption. But the continent’s citizens have always been vigilant, condemning and protesting against their leaders and their corrupt ways. This steadfast fight among Africans gives me hope and has instilled in me a tenacious ferocity to identify and expose any acts of corruption lest my continent stagnate in poverty and inefficient governance. It is with this conviction that I write this piece, for we have among us an organization that epitomizes modern-day African governance: the African Students Association — also known as Afrisa. Historically, Afrisa has been an organization led by continental rather than diasporic African students. It has been a space designed to support students’ adjustment to Brown. It was the only space on campus where people who grew up on the African continent could come together and discuss matters that pertain to the continent. In fact, the Afrisa constitution states, “The purpose of Afrisa shall be to bring together the African community and those with interest in the African continent at Brown University to celebrate identities and support the individual.” This all changed two years ago. In the fall of 2014, Afrisa held its annual elections and chose as president, for the first time, a first-generation African student who grew up in the United States. This change was not inherently wrong. But I was opposed to

this move for two main reasons: first, that the majority of the people who voted for the candidate had not come to Afrisa meetings prior to the election and had not been active members, and second, that as continental Africans, we need a space of our own where we can lead and run our own club and engage with African issues. It is evident that bringing in people who were not members of the club and allow-

participate in its proceedings ever again! Currently, the Afrisa administration is run by a majority of first-generation African students. There is an underrepresentation of continental Africans in the club, and this is a disservice to the entire African community at Brown. It has made us feel unwelcome in our own club. Moreover, the focus of the club has shifted — now, the club emphasizes issues that

The Afrisa administration has made extensive efforts to mentor underclassmen, but its efforts are ineffective since a majority of the club’s leaders and members do not identify with the struggles that continental African underclassmen face.

ing them to vote was unfair to existing members of the club. Having witnessed this phenomenon all too often in our own countries (such as in Kenya in 2007 and Zimbabwe in 2008 and 2013) where dead peoples’ votes counted and elections were rigged, pre-existing members like myself were appalled by this action. The Afrisa election angered and frustrated us, and we washed our hands of the club, vowing never to

are more relevant to the African diaspora and less relevant to people from the continent itself. It is concerning that most of the continental African upperclassmen no longer participate in Afrisa. But what’s more worrying is that now continental African underclassmen do not have a space to interact with their fellow countrymen and women and thus lack much-needed support. The Afrisa adminis-

tration has made extensive efforts to mentor underclassmen, but its efforts are ineffective since a majority of the club’s leaders and members do not identify with the same struggles that continental African underclassmen face. Moving forward, I would like to offer several options that the club and continental Africans could pursue. I suggest that the Afrisa administration begin an honest conversation among members about the purpose, mission and outcomes of their organization. I also recommend that the group come up with concrete strategies to make every member feel welcome and appreciated. This could mean changing the balance of continental African and first-generation African students in leadership positions and choosing some meeting topics that center around the experiences and interests of continental African students. Afrisa leaders must recognize that their membership is composed of students with diverse experiences and connections to the continent. Accordingly, they must work to create a space where all members’ experiences are valued and needs are met. If this does not happen immediately, then the continental African students should consider splitting from Afrisa to form a new club that is open to everyone with an interest in Africa but run by continental Africans so it better meets their needs. In any case, change is needed. Change is needed fast. If Afrisa is to represent the African continent, it must attend to the needs of all its members and abide by the tenets of the constitution it has so ignored.

Daniel Murage ’17 can be reached at daniel_murage@brown.edu.

Tackling pervasive sexism FABIANA VILSAN staff columnist As any woman can tell you, we are constantly caught in a catch-22 of gender inequality. We are told that sexism in modern Western society is close to being obsolete, that glass ceilings have been shattered. Of course. That must be why the highly qualified and proven fighter in former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was labeled a “bitch” throughout the presidential campaign, while her competitor was praised for his professional success, despite evidence indicating past fraud. But that was a Hillary phenomenon, we’re told, a result of her flaws, rather than a result of systemic sexism. And as we know, these days men and women are on completely equal footing, right? They try to persuade us of this by pointing to the fact that over half of today’s college graduates are female and that reputable corporations are actively seeking female executives, for example. But as many women are all too familiar with, the structural, cultural and social restrictions on female accomplishment are very much existent. To put it bluntly: When you outperform your male competitors, you’re a stone-cold bitch lacking in feminine qualities. When you under-perform, you’re another example of female mediocrity. It’s about time we call this par-

adox by its name: sexism and misogyny in a superficially sex-blind society. Breitbart News, an alt-right publication that has recently come under scrutiny and garnered new levels of legitimacy thanks to the White House appointment of its CEO Steve Bannon, recently perpetuated the dangerous misconception that modern education and employment conditions have more than leveled the playing field. As such, given equal opportunity, we should achievie the same level of success as our male counterparts. The

view regarding female potential in the sciences is sadly shared by many others. As a female journalist, I think it’s time someone told Yiannopoulos that journalism is about accuracy. Yiannopoulos makes a simplistic statement based on superficial research concerning the success rate of female graduates concentrating in a science-related field. His conclusion: Women simply “can’t cut it.” Every day, he would have us believe, women are admitted into highly competitive programs and institutions, chosen over less quali-

is lower than that of men, this is because employment conditions are far from conducive to female accomplishment, and women often don’t get the job despite being more qualified than their male competitors. According to a recent Forbes article, the United States is “dead last among developed countries when it comes to paid maternity leave.” Women typically begin raising a family in their 30s while their male counterparts begin enjoying professional advancement. We are essentially given a choice: Be a hands-on mom or a

Structural obstacles for women in the workplace, particularly in fields that aren’t accommodating to parental duties often handed to women or are dominated by men uncomfortable with female achievement, are far from eliminated. only logical explanation for why this is supposedly not the case, according to columnist Milo Yiannopoulos, is that women must not possess the strength and potential to work alongside men in the most competitive fields. This viewpoint is not only offensive to women across fields of study (as well as to men who are capable of succeeding without diminishing the accomplishments of their female competitors) but also highly ignorant. Normally, I wouldn’t consider it worthwhile to pick apart the poorly researched and painfully condescending article. Yet Yiannopoulos’ misguided

fied men who have more potential to achieve. In order to combat this obvious travesty, the author suggests capping the number of women enrolling in science-related fields to “between 5 or 10 percent.” A proportion of women any higher would mean we’re giving into political correctness rather than accepting the reality of intrinsic female inferiority in competitive and results-driven fields. As Yiannopoulos so eloquently puts it, “We’re not going to Mars in a nice touchy-feely environment … science is about results.” While it may be true that women’s success in the sciences post-graduation

hands-on executive. Contrary to mainstream preaching, the system is set up so that you can’t have it all. For the majority of women in the workplace, there’s no comfortable in-between. Funny that Yiannopoulos would forget to mention this obvious structural hindrance to female achievement — one among many. Women in the sciences aren’t weak and easily freaked, as Yiannopoulos not-so-subtly implies, but rather systematically stymied in their rise to success. In the rare instances when women are given the same professional opportunities as men, as well as the tools

to balance parenthood and work responsibilities, they are still far from praised. As argued by Ellen Fitzpatrick in the New York Times, Americans have deemed men worthy of the White House if they were well-qualified for the position, rallied bipartisan support and raised sufficient funds. Yet the clearly qualified Hillary Clinton faced scrutiny for her monetary success (while President-Elect Donald Trump was praised for his riches) and was criticized throughout her career for being unfeminine (while Trump played up his masculinity and prioritization of work over parenthood). The problem isn’t female underachievement and intellectual inferiority. We have proven time and time again that we are more than capable and qualified. The problem is that structural obstacles for women in the workplace, particularly in fields that aren’t accommodating to parental duties often handed to women or that are dominated by men uncomfortable with female achievement, are far from eliminated. To every woman in every field across all institutions: Prove misogynists wrong by sticking to your academic and professional passions, fighting for the professional opportunities you deserve and making no excuses for your success.

Fabiana Vilsan ’19 can be reached at fabiana_vilsan@brown.edu.

SPORTS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2016

MEN’S BASKETBALL

ELI WHITE / HERALD

Guard Obi Okolie ’19, who scored six points, prepares to take a free throw. The dramatic finish to Monday’s basketball game was prefaced by a strong offense from the Bears.

Bryant’s gaffe allows Blackmon ’17 to secure Bears win in final seconds Bulldogs player fails to realize team trailing after three-pointer, does not take final shot attempt By BEN SHUMATE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

When Nisre Zouzoua sunk a deep step-back three-pointer with 12 seconds left to give Bryant an 90-89 lead, everyone in attendance Monday at the Pizzitola Center was stunned. Everyone, that is, except Tavon Blackmon ’17. Without any appearance of panic, Blackmon took an inbounds pass across half court, slipped past his defender and banked in a layup off the glass with 3.8 seconds left to restore a

one-point lead for Bruno. “I had every intention of just getting downhill and just trying to make the best play,” Blackmon said. “The best play just happened to be a wide-open layup.” Among the chaos of the final sequence, Bryant’s Ikenna Ndugba failed to realize his team was now trailing as a result of Blackmon’s layup. Ndugba dribbled out the rest of the clock, tossed the ball in the air at the buzzer and approached a teammate for a high-five, only to realize his error as Brown celebrated the dramatic win. Blackmon’s heroics secured the 91-90 win for Bruno (3-4) after it led the entire first half and most of the second. He finished with nine points and eight assists. Bryant (2-5) was led by Zouzoua,

who finished with 31 points, capped off with the late go-ahead three, his fifth of the contest. Head Coach Mike Martin ’04 said he refrained from calling timeout after Zouzoua’s bucket, knowing it would only allow Bryant’s defense to set up. “Nobody panicked,” Martin said. “We’ve got three senior captains who’ve played a lot of games. I loved what I saw from them on that last play. I’m not sure that’s a game we win last year or the year before when they hit a shot like that.” “I didn’t know if coach was going to call a timeout or not,” Blackmon said. “As we got it in bounds, I was just going to go.” Bryant started the contest 2-of-10 from the field, allowing Brown to

carry a 43-39 advantage into halftime after leading by as much as 11 early. Corey Daugherty ’19 and JR Hobbie ’17 provided deep shooting off the bench early, combining for four first-half threes. Hobbie finished the day 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. In total, Brown’s bench outscored the Bulldogs’ 35-18. “I’m really proud of all our guys,” Martin said of his bench’s performance. “Depending on our opponent and depending on the situation, different guys might get the call.” Brown also dominated in the paint thanks to forwards Joshua Howard ’20 and Steven Spieth ’17, who finished with 18 and 16 points, respectively. Travis Fuller ’19 added 11 points off the bench on 4-of-4 shooting. “We did a good job of getting the

ball in the middle against their zone (defense),” Martin said. The Bears spread the ball around, led by Spieth’s career-high nine assists. Overall, Brown totaled 24 assists to Bryant’s 14. The teams went back and forth in the second half, with Zouzoua and Adam Grant, who finished with 15 points, keeping the Bulldogs in the game. Bryant also benefitted from shooting 19 second-half free throws, compared to just nine for Bruno. “A ton of credit to those guys for continuing to come back,” Martin said. “We’d get the lead to six or seven or eight, and they had answers.” Brown continues early-season action Wednesday, concluding a threegame homestand against St. Francis Brooklyn.