SINCE 1891
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
VOLUME CLII, ISSUE 53
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
ADOCH welcomes pre-frosh to campus Record number of prospective students explore campus, community By BELLA ROBERTS SENIOR STAFF WRITER
ALEJANDRO SUBIOTTO / HERALD
Members of the University community came together to protest the University’s investment in Citizens Bank, an institution that indirectly funds the Dakota Access Pipeline, according to the protestor’s open letter.
Students protest U. investment in Citizens Bank Bank maintains line of credit with Sunoco Logistics Partners, which helps fund DAPL By SARAH WANG SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Members of the Brown and Providence community gathered Wednesday afternoon to protest Citizens Bank’s involvement in funding the Dakota Access Pipeline and other pipeline projects.
Through its partnership with Sunoco Logistics Partners, Citizens Bank indirectly funds the Dakota Access Pipeline, according to an open letter that protestors wrote to President Christina Paxson P’19 that they read at the protest. Sunoco Logistics Partners also has an agreement with Energy Transfer Partners, and both of “these companies are building the Dakota Access, Bayou Bridge, Mariner East and Trans-Pecos pipelines,” all of which “are neither moral nor sustainable,” according to the open letter. These pipelines are responsible
for “releasing a total of 111,000 gallons of oil into the environment” and threatening “the drinking water for the Standing Rock Sioux and 17 million others living downstream” while also violating infringing on “Lakota burial grounds in violation of treaty agreements,” according to the letter. The letter urges the University to end its contract with Citizens Bank until the bank closes its line of credit with Sunoco Logistics Partners. The letter currently has over 100 signatures from members of the Brown » See CITIZENS, page 2
Around 1,000 students from around the world greeted their hosts on the Main Green at the start of A Day on College Hill Tuesday afternoon. From Tuesday to Thursday, perspective students admitted in the regular decision application pool have flocked to campus to learn first-hand what it’s like to be a Bear. Student coordinators Sophie Book ’18 and Dominique Kercy ’19, President Christina Paxson P’19 and Dean of Admission Logan Powell welcomed the high school students at a reception Tuesday night. “Luck was not in the room tonight — you earned your way here,” Powell said. “We welcome you here because of how extraordinary you are.” Paxson began her speech by stating that this year’s applicant pool was the largest in Brown’s history, with 32,700 applications, as The Herald previously reported. “I hope that you have already fallen in love with Brown” and decide to
attend, Paxson said. Academically, Paxson highlighted the open curriculum, undergraduate research and the CareerLAB service BrownConnect. “The open curriculum gives enormous freedom and responsibility to students to be the architects of their education,” Paxson said. In terms of social life, Paxson commended the University’s inclusive and passionate student body.“It’s a place where you are encouraged to be your creative selves every step until Commencement,” she added. This year’s ADOCH program is the largest in history. “We planned for 1,000 pre-frosh — I believe we had 855 registered and a few more just walk in,” Book said. Book and Kercy coordinated with a planning committee of over 35 undergraduates and worked alongside Jardelle Johnson ’19, who coordinated housing. ADOCH was planned in conjunction with the admission office, Book said. With a schedule packed from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., prospective students can choose to sit in on a class, attend special lectures and watch talent shows, among various other events. The biggest change in schedule this year was changing the “ADOCH Mixer Extravaganza” to APOCH — A Party » See ADOCH, page 3
U. provides new housing option Israeli historian talks Palestinian refugee crisis for substance-free students Donovan House to provide community, open next semester within 219 Bowen St. By LIORA MORHAYIM STAFF WRITER
“Brown was the first university to provide support to students in recovery back in 1977 and is cited as being a leader in the collegiate recovery field,” said Dean for Chemical Dependency Shannon O’Neill. In this tradition, the University will begin offering program housing for substancefree students in Donovan House this fall. After talking to many students in recovery and students who are substance-free for other reasons — such as personal preference, family history or religion — O’Neill said she noticed a lack of substance-free dorms. “Twenty percent of Brown students are sub-free … (yet) this is an identity
INSIDE
at Brown which is not acknowledged,” O’Neill said. The new program house will provide a space and community exclusively for substance-free students. “Sub-free peers have felt silenced and not able to speak about how uncomfortable they are to be around other people’s substance use,” she added. Donovan House will occupy the Plantations House building at 219 Bowen St. In future years, Donovan House can be expanded to accommodate all students who apply for substance-free housing, O’Neill said. AJ Davis ’20, a future resident of Donovan House, looks forward to living in a sober space. He currently lives on a substance-free floor in a dorm, but he interacts with substance-using first-year students who were placed in the dorm because of housing shortages. Seeing intoxicated people in the halls and smelling marijuana when trying to stay sober “can be very discouraging and difficult,” » See DONOVAN, page 2
Second Israel-Palestine lecture in multi-year initiative led by Professor of History Omer Bartov By KASTURI PANANJADY UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
Israeli historian Benny Morris addressed a packed room at the Joukowsky Forum Wednesday as part of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs’ new Israel-Palestine Distinguished Lecture Series. The Israel-Palestine Distinguished Lecture Series is the brainchild of Professor of History Omer Bartov and is part of his multi-year project, “IsraelPalestine, Lands and Peoples,” which launched last semester. In addition to the public lecture series, the initiative sponsors two discussion workshops each semester among scholars in the area, which are open to members of the University community. » See WATSON, page 3
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Israeli historian Benny Morris spoke about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Palestinian refugee crisis Wednesday at the Joukowsky Forum.
WEATHER
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
SPORTS Bruno won both of its games against URI Tuesday, second game stopped short due to darkness
LETTER Papendorp ’17: U. should not consider restorative justice in handling sexual assault cases
COMMENTARY Colby ’20: Internship system puts students without resources or family contacts at disadvantage
COMMENTARY Richardson ’20: Communicationbased technologies should not supercede individual contact
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NEWS
PAGE 2 • THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Arts & Culture Roundup BY JULIANNE CENTER, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
Intermission/Interruption/Intervention Join Rhode Island School of Design students Thursday at 6:30 p.m. for an “anti-salon” as student artist-scholars gather to feature their work and challenge the current “Intermission” exhibit on display in the Chase Center Galleries. “Intermission” features an informal array of European artwork from the early 12th century to the late 19th century. During this anti-salon, museum visitors are encouraged to enter the gallery to witness student additions to the exhibit and engage with students and their work — identifying not just what is featured but what is notably absent.
Improv on the Rocks For those who need a laugh-break from studying Saturday night, Comic Sans will be performing long-form and short-form improv at their free comedy show at 8 p.m. The Brown/RISD comedy troupe promises that “You’ll laugh, cry, die, and be reborn all at once.”
Back O’Town Watch the senior thesis of Erin Reifler ’17 come alive in “Back O’Town: Senior Thesis Musical Theatre Composition” is set to play Friday through Monday in the PW Downspace. The musical, set in August 2005, follows the lives of three black women in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Directed by Uchechukwu Onwunaka ’19, Reifler’s thesis will feature content of medical racism, incarceration, natural disaster trauma, and state violence.
ALEJANDRO SUBIOTTO / HERALD
The protest was hosted by Environmental Justics at Brown and the Shame on Citizens Bank campaign, according to the protest’s Facebook page. The protest was also in collaboration with the FANG Collective.
ALEJANDRO SUBIOTTO / HERALD
The open letter urges the University to disassociate from Citizens Bank and currently has over 100 signatures from students. This letter was read aloud on the Main Green by student protestors Wednesday. ELI WHITE / HERALD
Donovan House will provide a community for substance-free students. The space will be located in 219 Bowen St.
» DONOVAN, from page 1 Davis said. Even the slightest trace of substance use — from hearing drunk people to smelling mirijuana — can be traumatizing to those who might have experienced familial trauma or are in recovery, said Natalie Zummer ’19, program coordinator of Donovan House. Donovan House “is important for creating a community and a supportive network of people that would be more powerful than a floor,” Zummer said. Applications for the house were very selective this year — 70 people applied, but only 16 were selected, said Kiana Phillips ’19, program coordinator and residential peer leader of Donovan House. To select students, the coordinators conducted interviews and chose students who were in recovery, who had prior experiences with alcohol that impacted their safety, who are substance-free for religious reasons or who expressed enthusiasm about living
in a substance-free house, O’Neill said. During the interviews, the interviewers ensured that “sub-free identity is deeply rooted in the students” so that the residents won’t be prone to substance use, Zummer said. If students disobey the house’s guidelines, they may be removed from the house, she added. If a student breaks the policy of sobriety, the house will make a communal decision on that resident’s future — whether they will stay in or leave the house, Phillips said. “We want to think about why the person made that decision and see what can we do about it. At the end of the day if that person decides to drink, it can be triggering to everyone else and not be fair,” Phillips said. The residential peer leaders will also refrain from substance use, said Phillips and Zummer. “There shouldn’t be an RPL who isn’t sub-free when they are supporting sub-free students,” Phillips said. “RPLs have to be held to the same standards.”
» CITIZENS, from page 1 community. Around 20 people stood outside Citizens Bank on Waterman Street chanting “shame on Citizens, shame on Brown,” “stand with Standing Rock, Brown give up on your Citizens stock” and “Citizens Bank, you can’t hide, divest now from genocide” while hoisting signs displaying phrases such as “Citizens: Stop funding violence against indigenous people,” “No transpecos” and “#ShameOnCitizens.” Before protesting outside the bank, protesters began their demonstration on the Quiet Green and then moved onto the Main Green to read the open letter aloud. Paxson plans to address the Brown community on “exploring strategies and actions Brown may undertake aligned with Brown’s values,” soon in response to a separate proposal submitted by the Advisory Committee on
Corporate Responsibility in Investment Policies, wrote Vice President of Communications Cass Cliatt in an email to The Herald. The protest against Citizens Bank was hosted by both Environmental Justice at Brown and the Shame on Citizens Bank campaign, according to the protest’s Facebook page. The protest was also held in collaboration with the FANG Collective, according to one of the event’s organizers. The FANG Collective is a community group with several campaigns in the Northeast working against fracking. Ling, a supporter of the FANG Collective who chose not to provide The Herald with her last name, participated in the protest because she supports FANG’s “intersectionality of eco-justice and racial justice” and appreciates that FANG is “very supportive of … spaces” meant for people of color. The protest was just one of many
actions taken by these groups to boycott Citizens Bank. Each week, the Shame on Citizens Bank campaign helps members of the community close their accounts with the bank, said Anusha Alles, a member of the Shame on Citizens Bank campaign. Citizens Bank indirectly funds “violence against indigenous people” and projects that are “destroying our climate,” according to the campaign’s Facebook page. The FANG Collective has also already hosted several protests against Citizens Bank, including a protest during which members of FANG locked themselves to the doors of the downtown headquarters of Citizens Bank. The relatively peaceful protest ended in an altercation, when several protesters got into an argument with a passerby who repeatedly yelled, “Trump, Trump, Trump” and insisted “If you don’t like America, you can leave.”
www.browndailyherald.com
NEWS
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
» WATSON, from page 1
ELI WHITE / HERALD
President Christina Paxson P’19 addressed a crowd of prospective students. In her speech she highlighted the open curriculum, student research and CareerLAB as well as the inclusive nature of the student body.
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Dean of Admission Logan Powell commended the crowd of prospective students’ wide and varied accomplishments in an introductory speech welcoming attendees to ADOCH, which takes place April 18 to April 20.
» ADOCH, from page 1 on College Hill, Book said. The dance will be the only event at that time and the last event of the night to spark higher attendance rates. “We’re expecting more attendance, and we changed the venue to Alumnae Hall, so it’s more of a high school dance instead of a middle school dance,” Book said. “Gigs on the Green” — a concert put on by students on the Main Green — is among the other new changes to the ADOCH schedule. “One of the greatest factors in students’ decisions about where to go to college is whether or not they’ve been able to visit that campus,” Powell said. Yield of matriculation of those who
attend ADOCH is typically 10 percent higher than Brown’s overall matriculation because of the first-hand interaction with the community, Book said. “You get to interact with all these different interesting people and see what they’re doing, and you get to see how the open curriculum really affects not just academic life but social life in every aspect of Brown,” Book said. ADOCH’s current budget is is a “ballpark of $100,000,” Powell said. A request was approved by Provost Richard Locke during fiscal year 2017 for the budget to be doubled for next year’s program. Some of the additional money will go to transportation costs so those attending are able to afford travel. This
year 168 attendees traveled to campus using a grant from the University, Powell said. “We have so much to offer,” Book said. ADOCH condenses “everything we love about Brown and (puts) that entire experience into three days,” she added. “We have all these kids who are really really smart and they got into a bunch of different schools and they’re trying to decide where they want to spend the next four years of their lives,” Book said. “We’re trying to convince them Brown is the place to do that. We are showing them everything Brown has to offer.” —With additional reporting by Priyanka Podugu
The initiative hopes to bring a range of perspectives on Israel and Palestine to campus and put them in dialogue with each other because “it’s very hard to talk across a wall or a fence,” Bartov told The Herald. “The people that I invited are not only speaking only on the conflict,” Bartov told The Herald before the event, emphasizing that many speakers discuss Israeli-Palestinian coexistence as well. Morris’ talk, titled “The Creation of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947-1949,” follows an earlier address delivered by Israeli historian Tom Segev March 16 on “The Price of Zionism.” Morris argued that the “major cause of the Palestinian refugee crisis was the war itself,” rejecting traditional explanations that attempt to place blame on Arab leaders for encouraging Palestinians to leave their homes or on the Israeli military for expelling Palestinians. Morris characterized both those explanations as fringe movements. During the question-and-answer session at the end of the talk, a student present at the event questioned Morris’ methodology and reliance on Israeli, British and American sources of information to frame his argument. In response, Morris explained that “Arab states were all dictatorships” at the time and remain so to the present day, which limits his ability to access Arab records. In addition, he explained that he has little faith in oral histories. “Almost always you can find written records,” Morris said. Bartov pointed out that a strict reliance on written records could end up “privileging the perpetrators” of historical injustices as victims might not have the ability or the expertise to leave written testimony behind. This resonated with students in the audience, who snapped along. Morris
explained earlier in his talk that the refugee crisis occurred in stages and that the first groups of Palestinians to flee to Lebanon, Jordan and Syria in 1947 were the middle-class and the wealthy. A student present at the event referenced a 2004 Haaretz interview in which Morris stated that “even the great American democracy could not have been created without the annihilation of the Indians” and that “there is a deep problem in Islam. … Revenge plays a central part in the Arab tribal culture.” “You’ve essentially perpetuated acts of Islamophobia and, frankly, racist remarks,” the student said. Morris claimed that he was misquoted in the Haaretz interview regarding Native Americans and American democracy but stood behind his statement that there is a “basic problem in Islam.” “There are certain passages in the Quran which promote anti-Semitism; they call Jews the sons of apes and pigs … many Islamists — like Hamas and so on — quote that.” Another attendee asked Morris if he could point to any “viable solutions” to the conflict. “I’m a historian, so I deal with the past, and I don’t have solutions,” he said. Bartov has arranged for four more speakers to present their research on campus over the course of the next semester. The Distinguished Lecture Series lineup features no Palestinian speakers at present, though Bartov told The Herald that his workshops have featured Palestinian scholars. In addition, Palestinians may face “limitations on their travel,” he said. Reducing diversity of opinion on Israel and Palestine to having Palestinian and Israeli speakers in the series is too simplistic, Bartov told The Herald. “I don’t think we should work according to these criteria” of representation, he said.
SPORTS
PAGE 4 • THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
SOFTBALL
COURTESY OF BROWN BEARS
Annie McGregor ’18 catches the ball at first base. The junior paced the Bears in the doubleheader victories over the University of Rhode Island with a pair of 3-4 games at the plate.
Patience at the plate yields doubleheader sweep for Bears Bruno bounced back from weekend losses to Dartmouth with wins over Ocean State rival URI By CAL BARASH-DAVID SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The softball team found mid-week success in two six-inning contests against Ocean State rival University of Rhode Island Tuesday. After scoring only 14 runs in four weekend matchups against Dartmouth (10-21-1, 9-3 Ivy), Bruno (13-24, 3-9), rang up 24 runs in the double header. A two-run shot by Annie McGregor ’18 gave Bruno an early 2-0 lead in the first contest. URI (6-29, 3-11) then drew level, scoring one run in each of the first two innings. The third inning saw an offensive surge for the Bears. They hammered home six runs, four of which were unearned. URI chipped away at Bruno’s 8-2 lead with a solo shot in the bottom of the third and three runs on three hits
in the fourth. The score remained 8-6 going into the top of the final inning, with Brown holding the two run lead. The Bears closed out the contest strong and did not allow Rhody to sneak its way back into the game, and a no-out, two-run bomb by Catherine Seitz ’19, stretched the lead. Then back-to-back walks by Christina Andrews ’17 and Grayson Metzger ’18 and an ensuing single by Meghan Wimmer ’19, juiced the bases for rookie Raquel Blanchard ’19. Blanchard knocked a single to left field to score Metzger and Andrews and make the score 12-6. A walk and a fielder’s choice put three ducks on the pond again. McGregor stepped up to the plate and cracked a double to center field, bringing home three runs and making the score 15-6.
Katie Orona ’18 said that much of the Bears’ success came from their patience at the plate. “The other pitchers weren’t throwing as many strikes as what we typically see, and I think we were getting our walks in,” she said. “Then when they would throw strikes or make a mistake we would capitalize on that. So I think offensively we really came through.” The Bears blanked the Rams in the bottom of the sixth to take the first game. The game was called after six innings due to the mercy rule. “We came out swinging in the first game,” Andrews said. “We were able to score runs in multiple innings in both games, we played great defense, and we had great pitching to back it up.” Kaitlin Okimoto ’20 was a perfect 3-3 in the first game. McGregor (3-4) and Seitz (3-5) also added three hits of their own in the first game. Wimmer pitched her sixth win of the season to move her record to 6-8, and Emily Waters ’20 got the save,
pitching 2.1 scoreless innings to close out the game. Bruno’s bats stayed hot in the second game of the day. Seitz got the Bears started with a two RBI single in the top of the first, scoring Okimoto and McGregor. URI got one back in the bottom of the opening inning on a bases-loaded walk. In the top of the second, Okimoto nailed a solo shot — her second home run of the day — to give Brown a 3-1 lead. Both Bruno and Rhody would tally a run in the third, bringing the score to 4-2. Five runs on six hits in the final two innings would extend the lead for Brown. URI was unable to drive home a run in the last minutes of the game, and the Bears grabbed the 9-2 win before the game was called for darkness. McGregor led the Bears offensively in the second game, going 3-4 again. Andrews contributed two hits to Bruno’s efforts as well.
Gina Cheiffallo ’17 recorded her first win of the season in a six-inning complete game in which she allowed four hits and only one earned run. “It was great to go out there midweek (and) get some wins after some tough games at Dartmouth and before Harvard this weekend,” Andrews said. With only two weekends left of play in the regular season, the team will square off against Harvard and Yale in a pair of four-game series. “These two wins were really important to get the momentum going in our direction again, going into this weekend. Harvard’s obviously a big weekend for us, so I think it’s really good that we were able to pull through these two games and invigorate the team’s spirit,” Orona said. “We’re excited,” Andrews said. “We’re going to take the last two weekends we have and see what we can make of it and see if we can make a run farther for the Ivy Championship.”
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TODAY
THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
pre-frosh mosh
menu SATELLITE DINING ANDREWS COMMONS
Pizza: Specialty Pizzas Using Local Products JOSIAH’S
BLUE ROOM
Mac and Cheese, Quesadilla
Soup: Turkey Chili, Fire Roasted Vegetable Soup
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Garden Style Hake, Parslied Rice, Lentils with Roasted Vegetables, Cream Cheese Brownies
Spice Rubbed Pork Chops, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Cherry Pie
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Saturday Night Jambalaya, Falafel, Mashed Potato Bar, Gourmet Coconut Cookies
General Tso’s Beef Stir Fry, Roast Turkey With Sauce, Roasted Veggie Olio, Cherry Pie
sudoku
GUS REED / HERALD
A flock of students attending A Day on College Hill frolic under a tent in the Main Green. These visiting Brunonians-to-be have come to dip their innocent toes in the larger collegiate pond.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“Luck was not in the room tonight — you earned RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich
ACROSS 1 Organic fuel 5 Beggar’s returns 9 Out-and-out 14 Soprano Gluck 15 Tree nursery? 16 Winnebagos’ kin 17 *Vaudeville headliner 19 Actress Kelly 20 Anaheim team, to fans 21 Splotch 23 Fishing gear 24 *Count Basie’s theme song 28 Garment border 29 Michael of “Caddyshack” 32 Marbles competition 36 Get out in the open 38 Singsong syllables 39 *Too-small quantity 43 Open mic performer, often 44 Bruins legend 45 “My love __ a fever, longing still”: Shakespeare 46 Deeply rooted 48 Gandalf portrayer McKellen 50 *1959 Monroe classic 57 “Go team!” 59 Well out of range 60 It may be captioned 61 Hoover rival 63 What many sports cars lack, and, in a way, what the ends of the starred answers are 66 Bench clearer 67 Pitcher Pettitte with a record 19 post-season wins 68 Out of the cage 69 Less hardylooking 70 Early Iranian 71 “America’s Next Top Model” host Banks DOWN 1 Logical start? 2 Online mortgage broker
3 More than enough 4 It’s not done 5 “State of Wonder” novelist Patchett 6 Country expanse 7 “A Fuller Spectrum of News” network 8 Bit of rhubarb 9 Middle of nowhere, metaphorically 10 Hugs, symbolically 11 Cult classic of 1990s TV 12 It passes between Swiss banks 13 Would-be One L’s hurdle 18 Author Sholem 22 Eye of el tigre 25 Tilt 26 Fail to mention 27 Overseas thanks 30 Lab coat speck? 31 Chow 32 Year Elizabeth I delivered her “Golden Speech” 33 Caddie’s suggestion 34 Jaw-dropping news
35 Veep before Gerald 37 Letter after pi 40 Motel convenience 41 “Gymnopédies” composer Satie 42 Scot’s bluff 47 Dict. offering 49 Small bites 51 NFLer until 1994 52 Castle with many steps?
your way here. We welcome you here because of how
”
extraordinary you are .
53 Museum concern 54 White with age 55 Weasel-like swimmer 56 Where captains go 57 Frolic 58 Field of expertise 62 GPA reducer, usually 64 Put in 65 Deli choice
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
— Logan Powell, Dean of Admission
See ADOCH on page 1. CORRECTION An article published Wednesday, April 19 titled “Undergraduate Finance Board cuts print funding for student publications,” stated that the Brown Noser has been publishing in print for over 20 years. In fact, the Noser was founded in 2006 and has been publishing for over 10 years. The Herald regrets the error.
Follow Sports! twitter.com/bdh_sports xwordeditor@aol.com
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The Art of Pitching: How to Tell Your Story 12:00 P.M. Hillel, Meeting Room
DS@B Presents: 4/20 Picadera 2:00 P.M. Main Green
Barnes Lecture: Firerarms and Health 4:00 P.M. 121 South Main Street, 375
Intermission/ Interruption/Intervention 6:30 P.M. RISD Museum
TOMORROW Panel: Fire and Human Settlement in Antiquity 3:00 P.M. 85 Waterman Street, 130
Migrant Labor/Money & Honey 5:00 P.M. Kassar, Foxboro Auditorium
Acronauts: Brown Aerial Arts Spring Showcase 7:00 P.M. Alumnae Hall
Orchestra Concert 8:00 P.M. Sayles Hall
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
No reintegration for campus rapists To the Editor: I was heartened to read about the number of resources the University has made available for victims of sexual assault in the April 12 article “Brown weighs reintegration options for sexual assaulters.” However, I was just as alarmed to read about the concept of “restorative justice” and rehabilitation — rather than punitive sanctions — for perpetrators of sexual assault. Study after study has found that most rapists are repeat offenders. And even if recidivism isn’t as common as the evidence suggests, harsh punishments would discourage other students from committing sexual assault. Though restorative justice is not currently under active consideration for cases related to sexual assault or misconduct, restorative justice programs send an implicit message that sexual assault will be tolerated. If Brown is serious about preventing sexual assault, the University will keep past offenders away from campus. This is not to say that the University should not respond to accusations of sexual assault with due process. But if a student is found guilty of sexual assault, what place do they have on this campus? Sexual assault is a felony in Rhode Island and a grave violation of the standards we should hold for ourselves as a community. Let’s start treating sexual assault like the serious crime it is. The article mentions that sanctions may discourage victims from reporting sexual assault, stating that “23 percent of female Brown students surveyed who had experienced nonconsensual penetration by force said they did not report the incidents because they did not want the perpetrators to get in trouble.” While I can appreciate this problem, I do not understand why the Task Force on Sexual Assault would allow the concerns of a minority of victims to steer its policy recommendations. This article also brings to light the inherent conflict of interest that arises when sexual assault takes place in a university setting. Mediation between the victim and the assailant seems like another way to conceal any accusations that could make the University look bad. Before we think about reintegration for rapists, let’s work on creating a safe and supportive campus for the students who truly deserve to be here.
K I M B E R LY S A LT Z
Carin Papendorp ’17
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COMMENTARY THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Internship inequities OWEN COLBY staff columnist
The conclusion of spring semester is, for many, a joyous moment. For others it signals an impending deadline to find a summer internship. Even with this deadline mere weeks away, for many Brown students, summer internship prospects remain uncertain. The emphasis that recruiters place upon experience gained through internships means that the hunt for such opportunities begins as early as freshman year. After all, students who begin looking for jobs as seniors will have a tougher time than students who have significant experience under their belts by the time they graduate. But, as it turns out, there are substantial inequities at all stages of the internship placement process, which have long-term consequences for students’ future employment and educational prospects. The benefits of internships are clear; they provide needed experience and connections and help a student’s career trajectory. Sadly, many of the most worthwhile internship opportunities are also the most prestigious and competitive, and only seek experienced applicants, such as rising juniors and seniors. The experience these internships demand can often only be acquired through earlier internships and as a result, many underclassmen face a high-stakes intern-
ship search. Even with the increased importance of such internships, college career services admit that placement of these underclassmen is comparatively difficult. Diana Seder, Associate Dean and Director of Career Services at Claremont McKenna College admits, “(Freshman) are the young ones, the low men on the totem pole.” As such, internship placement for younger students is exceedingly difficult. This reality means that nepotism plays a worryingly large role in initial internship prospects. Though Brown assists students in
ing often means turning to family to obtain initial job experience. This broader trend has been confirmed in the Guardian’s reporting of a study by the Debrett’s Foundation that “found seven in every 10 young people aged 16-25 use family connections to get their first job.” But because of the internship system, those who lack familial connections to an industry are stuck without opportunity. As Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, eloquently says, “America’s current internship system, in which contacts
of paid internships means that students who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds must either resort to unpaid work — all at the large cost of a summer’s wages — or find paid work in fields totally unrelated to their concentration. Brown offers Summer Earnings Waivers for students on financial aid and grants to help cover the costs of unpaid internships, but these opportunities are limited and cannot be used for more than one summer. Frankly, universities have a limited ability to help students trying to find paid intern-
But, if left unchecked, our flawed internship system will continue to reward the wealthy at the expense of the less privileged.
their search for a summer internship through CareerLAB, for many freshmen, this is not enough. CareerLAB’s continued emphasis on “networking” often feels more like an emphasis on nepotism. While networking through telephone interviews and cold emailing through BrownConnect can help students hear about opportunities, they don’t meaningfully increase the chances of finding an internship. Underclassmen around the country are still stuck, unable to acquire internships because they lack experience and cannot get it. As such, network-
and money matter more than talent, contributes to an economy in which access and opportunity go to the people who already have the most of both.” Presumably, internships exist for the purpose of developing a highly trained workforce. But if internships only go to a privileged few, then their benefits to the economy and to society are dramatically reduced. Even if inequities in internship placement were diminished, the pervasiveness of unpaid internships also decreases the economic mobility of less privileged students. The shortage
ships — there’s only so much funding to go around. Therefore the responsibility lies with companies to offer more paid opportunities — or at least provide stipends — for students to learn and gain work experience. The government should take regulatory steps to make sure the benefits of internships are equitably shared. But, if left unchecked, our flawed internship system will continue to reward the wealthy at the expense of the less privileged. As the Guardian noted on a study by the Social Mobility and Child Poverty commission found,
“less able, richer children were 35 percent more likely to become high earners than their brighter, poorer peers.” There are companies that commendably attempt to include underprivileged underclassmen in their internship programs. However, these programs can only patch a broken system, not fix it. For example, Morgan Stanley hosts networking events and internship programs specifically for historically underprivileged groups. Their “diversity internship” only admits students from underrepresented communities that are hurt by existing internship inequities. Still, these programs don’t do enough to repair what is a deeply flawed internship industry that perpetuates economic inequality. As it exists today, the summer internship system symbolically represents the inequality of opportunity that prevails throughout the United States. Unfortunately, the internship placement system is just one component of the American economy that reinforces and broadens inequality. But it isn’t something we should put up with. As we get older, join the workforce and enter positions of influence, we should remain cognizant of the internship system and all the harm that it does — and make an effort to reform it.
Owen Colby ’20 can be reached at owen_colby@brown.edu.
Connect, don’t neglect RANDI RICHARDSON staff columnist
Almost all young people, especially college students, have a form of technology on their person at all times. Whether that be a cellphone, laptop or tablet, all are used to sending messages, calling friends and possibly having a video conversation. All of these usages are perfect for communicating quickly, but I worry this ubiquitous aspect of technology is destroying personal interactions. I don’t like the idea of neglecting face-to-face interactions just because technology allows us to. Every day, I see personal interactions that have been changed because of technology. For example, I walked into a cafe yesterday and observed the majority of occupants scrolling through their social media accounts, Skyping a friend or aimlessly searching Google instead of talking to the person sitting right in front of them. It’s estimated that nearly 10,000 interactions within Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr happen per second, while 2,600 Skype calls are placed and around 44,000 gigabytes of internet traffic are used every second. Without a doubt, technology, especially its mobile-friendly forms, has an increasingly pertinent space in the lives of many people. It’s true that new technologies offer more convenience and speed than their predecessors. Attending class while sick in bed has become quite simple if the lecture has been recorded. We can order what are now viewed as necessities —
Lyfts, videogames, food or clothing — and expect a delivery within minutes or a few days at the longest. As much as I support these very practical uses of technology, I am against the culture of erasing personal interactions and the growth of impatience that I believe it produces. There’s an added layer of intimacy during in-person experiences. Being able to clearly see a loved one’s laugh lines, or hug them or “acci-
come. Because of this, there is both a pressure and a need to communicate as quickly as possible, thus fostering a culture of impatience that I don’t think would exist if technology wasn’t such a powerful force in daily life. As technology makes communication increasingly efficient, responses to emails, texts and missed calls are somehow required within a minute’s notice, even on “off-days” that were previously agreed upon.
Consistently demanding and expecting immediate responses crosses into dangerous territory if and when it is extrapolated onto the other facets of living, thus normalizing impatience in every situation we encounter.
dentally” bump into them when they say something off-color is priceless and simply not available while communicating through modern-day technology. These technologies have gained popularity as they allow conversations to occur almost instantly. In a time-sensitive situation, a quick phone call or email can change the entire out-
In light of this, some students refuse to check or respond to emails from their Brown account over the weekend, while others view this as unmannerly and unprofessional behavior. This difference of opinion can be attributed to the fact that boundaries between business and personal are consistently blurred, all in the name of being flexible and possessing a willingness to go above
and beyond. These qualities are important, but they are next of kin to impatience. Consistently demanding and expecting immediate responses crosses into dangerous territory if and when it interferes with life, thus normalizing impatience in every situation we encounter. Technology has broadened our ability to communicate. Often times, technology is the only way to globally communicate with individuals who may not be reachable otherwise. I am by no means discrediting or diminishing these resolute predicaments. But technological capabilities seem to be overstepping their bounds. I find technology most helpful when it enhances personal interactions instead of erasing them. Yet this is not what’s happening. The more technology advances, the further we stray from faceto-face contact — Facetiming replaces phone calls, which replaced in-person interactions. More technology means less physical presence and more voids that need to be filled. Then, the cycle continues: We ignore our immediate surroundings, as I observed in the cafe, in order to absorb technology-ridden business, and then we rush through the absorption of that business while staying connected and neglecting the connections right in front of us. Striking a balance between an online and offline presence has proven to be difficult, but it can lead to a more fulfilling life, one that does not end in becoming a robot waiting for the next email that needs a response.
Randi Richardson ’20 can be reached at randi_richardson@brown.edu, but don’t expect a response right away.
Physician Assistant Studies
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NEWS THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Physician Assistant Studies Program sponsored by Johnson & Wales University. Accreditation-Provisional is an accreditation status granted when the plans and resource allocation, if fully implemented as planned, of a proposed program that has not yet enrolled students appear to demonstrate the program’s ability to meet the ARC-PA Standards or when a program holding Accreditation-Provisional status appears to demonstrate continued progress in complying with the Standards as it prepares for the graduation of the first class (cohort) of students. Accreditation-Provisional does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.
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