vol. cxxii, no.

11

Daily

the Brown

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Herald
Since 1891
Kai Herng Loh 14, associate new media producer for the blog and one of this years recipients, traveled to China over break to study the countrys capacity to innovate as it vies to become even more dominant in global markets. Loh said he wanted to challenge the idea portrayed in American media that China is not really capable of producing innovation. Loh created a video documentary counteracting the medias portrayal, though he added that the documentary will not be as thorough as he hoped because it was hard to get higher-level government officials to go on video, he said. The blog is like Facebook with a purpose, said Karen Lynch, editor of the Global Conversation. It gives Brown students an continued on page 3
By alExandra MacfarlanE Senior Staff Writer

Fellows showcase adventures abroad on blog Faculty votes to support U. dealings with city
By aasha jacKson Contributing Writer

Courtesy of Tala Worrell

Tala Worrell 14 interviewed current residents of her uncles old house in Bulaa.

Five adventurous students received fellowships this year to showcase their multimedia projects addressing international issues on the Global Conversation, a blog launched by the Watson Institute for International Studies two years ago. Over winter break, five students were sponsored as AT&T New Media Fellows, each receiving $1,500 in addition to audio and video equipment to document their work and upload it to the site. Since the Watson Institute launched the blog as an outlet for students to share their work and experiences abroad with the Brown community, AT&T has sponsored 35 New Media Fellows to go abroad and work on a variety of international projects.

Bookstore unlikely to implement e-textbook program

By ElI oKun Senior Staff Writer

Freedom of speech foundation flags U. policy

By ElIzaBEth Koh Staff Writer

In light of rapid increases in book digitization over the last few years, some universities are taking steps to implement cost-effective e-textbook programs. Though the option has been explored at Brown, the University is unlikely to follow their lead anytime soon, said Steven Souza, director of the Brown Bookstore. This semester, Cornell, the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Minnesota, the University of Virginia and the University of Wisconsin partnered with Internet2, a higher education networking consortium, to launch an e-textbook pilot program. The pilot program seeks to provide the participating universities with a way to incorporate e-textbooks into a traditional classroom setting using a business model that will lower costs for students and publishers, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported last month. During the current trial phase, universities are covering the costs of the e-textbooks for students in the courses testing out the program. continued on page 5

For the seventh consecutive year, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education has given the University a red-light rating for its sexual harassment policy in a report assessing free speech codes on college campuses. The red-light rating is given to schools with at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech, according to the report. The Universitys sexual harass-

ment code was flagged for being too vague and over-broad, said Azhar Majeed, the foundations associate director of legal and public advocacy. This policy gives purported examples of sexual harassment, which encompasses speech, such as suggestive jokes of a sexual nature, Majeed said. Something as obvious as a joke on South Park or the Daily Show would potentially be a suggestive joke of a suggestive nature that could constitute sexual harassment, Majeed said.

The 2012 report rated 392 colleges and universities, 65 percent of which received a red-light rating. Harvard, Cornell and Columbia were also labeled as red-light for some of their policies. Since 2005, the foundation, a nonprofit education organization that advocates free speech on campus, has been rating colleges around the country. It began rating Brown in 2006. The released ratings are based on publicly available policies from continued on page 4

Faculty members voted unanimously at yesterdays faculty meeting to support President Ruth Simmons actions in dealing with the citys demands for additional payments. The faculty also voted on the academic calendar and heard reports on the presidential search process, athletics and brain science research at the University. Simmons discussed the citys requests for increased contributions from the University to help bridge the citys $22.5 million deficit and also outlined plans the University has made to help the city. Simmons explained the commitments that the University had made to the city, starting with a memorandum of understanding made in 2003 between the city and other in-state universities. In all, Simmons said, the University pays $4 million to the city in voluntary contributions and tax payments annually. Simmons drew a comparison continued on page 4

Hidden gems abound at the Haffenreffer

By ElIzaBEth Koh Staff Writer

With his bushy white hair, active Twitter feed and hipster glasses, Steven Lubar, professor of American studies, is not your typical museum director. He presides over a collection of artifacts including jade coins and primitive spearheads, all lovingly labeled and nestled away in a corner of the Main Green. The Haffenreffer Museum of

feature
Anthropology, which describes itself as a teaching museum on its website, is located in a 2,000-square-foot space on the first floor of Manning Hall, barely 50 yards away from the Stephen Robert 62 Campus Center and University Hall. But despite its central location, the building is

more likely to draw prospective applicants looking for the upstairs information sessions than visitors interested in its collections. A lot of students have never been here which is too bad, Lubar said. Museums have to be lively to attract attention, and just having wonderful stuff is sometimes not enough. But Lubar hopes all of that is about to change. The Haffenreffer Museum, currently in the process of an extended renovation, is reinventing both its appearance and the experience it offers visitors to attract more students. With a student group recently approved by the Undergraduate Council of Students and increasing collaboration with University classes and programs, the museum is launching new programs to gain recognition on campus. continued on page 5
Sam Kase / Herald

The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology features over 1 million artifacts.

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Feature............2 news....................3-5 editorial............6 opinions.............7

Professor fosters U.s Native culture

Powwow
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2 Feature
C ALEnDAR
TODAY 4 p.m. Challah Baking, Hillel 7 p.m. ValenWiSE Event, Science Center 7:30 p.m. Writing is Live Festival, Leeds Theatre FEbRUARY 8 TOmORROW 7 p.m. The Mayor and Americas Rabbi, Metcalf Hall FEbRUARY 9 By MaddIE BErg Staff Writer

the Brown Daily herald wednesday, February 8, 2012

U. to offer Native studies program

As the only Native American faculty member at Brown, Elizabeth Hoover MA03 PhD10 hopes to continue her efforts to bring American Indian culture into the Universitys consciousness. Hoover held the first annual powwow on campus as a graduate student 10 years ago, and she now plans to help develop a Native studies program that will raise awareness of the culture in the academic sphere. Hoovers celebration of her Mohawk and Micmac heritage began at a young age, continuing through her undergraduate years at Williams College and her graduate years at Brown and finally culminating in her position as a visiting assistant professor of ethnic studies and American studies. Hoover grew up in what she refers to as the boondocks of upstate New York. Because she lived in a diverse community where she had little contact with her cultural roots, she spent much of her childhood traveling across the Northeast to traditional powwows and ceremonies where she could get in touch with her heritage. It was just something that was always important to our family, even though our neighbors didnt all necessarily take part in the same traditions, she said. The way to hang on to Native traditions is by coming to these gatherings and going to ceremonies and going to powwows. But Hoover did not find this Native American culture accessible in her college years. Williams basically had no (Native American) community, Hoover recalled. She attempted to change this by organizing a powwow at Williams, a tradition she would later start at Brown. The powwows attract residents of local communities and feature ritualistic dances and ceremonies, she said. I wanted to bring more Native people to that campus, Hoover said. When she attended Williams, there were only three or four other Native American students, she said. As an undergraduate, Hoovers attempts to recruit more American Indian students proved difficult. Upon asking an admission officer what the school was doing to increase recruitment of Native Americans, he said, Oh, we just tell them to go for Dartmouth because they have a good program there, Hoover recalled. My jaw

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Courtesy of Elizabeth Hoover

Elizabeth Hoover MA 03 PhD 10 started Browns first native American powwow.

RELEASE DATE Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Los AngelesCR OSSWORD Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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just dropped. It was just shocking. As a professor at Brown, Hoover said she hopes recruitment efforts will be more successful. Hoover has been active in University efforts to reach out to local Native people and make them aware of Browns welcoming community. Hoover originally came to the University to get her masters degree in anthropology and museum studies. With her expertise in museum studies, Hoover hoped to help display the crafts of Natives in such a way that it doesnt make these folks look like they vanished, she said. But Hoover soon decided the more urgent issues facing Natives were environmental, as the high chemical levels in many tribal areas affect their health. She pursued her doctorate degree in anthropology, focusing on how contaminates affect the reproductive abilities of the Mohawks in Akwesasne, N.Y. At Brown, Hoover discovered a more active and slightly larger

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Native population than the one at Williams. Since her first year as a graduate student, Hoover has taken part in the activities of Natives at Brown. I was very happy that they had a Native student group here, she said. It was very nice. Soon after joining the cultural group, which currently has 10 active members who meet once a week, Hoover started a powwow much like the event she organized at Williams. I was like, all right, somebody else has to raise the money, but Ill invite the drummers and the dancers because thats the fun part, Hoover said. The tradition has continued with the University hosting its 10th annual powwow last year. Hoover also hopes to leave a lasting legacy in academia with a Native studies program at Brown. Hoover and other professors are currently organizing all the classes that cover Native peoples into a cohesive group. In the fall, the professors of these classes will come together to create a Native studies program within the ethnic studies department. Its going to be a while before we can get them to hire another Native studies professor, Hoover said, so its about how we can work with the resources we have to bring it together. Before the program is fully implemented, Hoover said she hopes Brown will attract more Native students by letting people in the local communities know that they are welcome here and that their students will thrive here.

the Brown Daily herald wednesday, February 8, 2012

Campus news 3
CRiME LOG
By DAViD CHUnG nE WS EDiTOR
the following summary includes a selection of major incidents reported to the department of public safety between Jan. 2 and Feb. 5. it does not include general service and alarm calls. the providence police department also responds to incidents occurring off campus. dps does not divulge information on cases that are currently under investigation by the department, ppd or the office of student life. dps maintains a daily log of all shift activity and general service calls, which can be viewed during business hours at its headquarters at 75 Charlesfield st. jan. 2 10:35 a.m. An employee reported that two projectors, five laptops and five flash drives had been taken from 4 Richmond Square during a time span of 12 days. There were indications the site had been broken into. The case is under investigation. jan. 28 6:50 p.m. Four to six black males approached four males heading east on Bowen Street between Thayer and Brook Streets and robbed them of their personal belongings while flashing a small caliber handgun. The suspects were described as being of thin build, with one donning a Chicago Bulls cap, another wearing a white and red striped top and the rest dressed in black sweatshirts. The suspects fled, running westbound down Bowen Street. The case is under investigation. jan. 30 5:35 p.m. A student reported that $40 had gone missing from his wallet at the Pizzitola Center, during the approximately four hours he spent working out at the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center. The student had stored his belongings in a locker at the Pizzitola Center, with his wallet placed in a pants pocket, but he returned to find his wallet no longer in his pants and rather thrown in the locker. The lockers do not have locks, he said. feb. 1 4:26 p.m. An employee, who had parked her vehicle in Lot 90 on Lloyd Avenue at approximately 2 p.m., returned just over two hours later to discover that the rear passenger side window had been broken and two gym bags taken. feb. 5 1:24 a.m. While walking northbound on Brown Street, a male individual was approached by a black male, assaulted and robbed of his personal items. The suspect, who was described as wearing a light grey sweatshirt and jeans, fled east on Bowen Street in a tan or silver vehicle. The case is under investigation.

International student blog doubles readers

continued from page 1 opportunity to showcase some of the great work that they are doing otherwise it might just sit there on their laptops, Lynch said. And it also helps to bring alumni back in connection with Brown in the context of international matters. Nicholas Carter 11.5 is exploring how the street music of Cartagena, Colombia conveys the history of the citys Afro-Colombians and the citys different social, cultural and political processes. Im trying to discover what life is like here and how music and dance function in these public spaces and also how they give meaning to the musicians, dancers and people passing through, said Carter, who has plans to stay in Cartagena for a few more months and hopes to find a job in the city. Brigitta Greene 12, former deputy managing editor at The Herald, investigated the problems surrounding hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The price of oil reached a high enough level that more expensive drilling practices that have been known but (are) not economical to use are now worth it, Greene said. Tala Worrell 14 plans to create a mini-documentary to shed light on the recent revolution in Egypt through her own familys experiences, and Kaori Ogawa 12 will produce a photo documentary on Frances recent assimilatory immigration policy, according to the blogs website. The 2012 New Media Fellows have shared information about their projects on the blog, but the Global Conversation website is becoming more popular among other members of the Brown community. Anybody with a brown.edu email address can post on the site, which allows its users to upload audio and video content. The site is currently on track to reach a milestone 100,000 hits in March, according to Lynch. The number of site visits in November 2010 more than doubled by February 2011 and then doubled again by November 2011, according to Lynch. She added that plans are in the works to revamp the website to make it more user-friendly. Most of the content was coming from the fellows, but increasingly weve just seen people registering on the site and sharing things, Loh said. It gives all these projects that are being done some value in the sense that it frames that all as acting as contributions to a larger discussion, Carter said. Taking mostly unconventional stories from all around the world and presenting them together is something that can really make people aware of the variety of stories that there are and the diversity of human experiences, he added. Applications for summer fellowships are due Feb. 27, Lynch said.

Courtesy of Tala Worrell

Tala Worrell 14 captured the view of the Saladin Citadel of Cairo.

Courtesy of Tala Worrell

Worrell explored sites in Cairo, such as the Citadel, as part of her project.

Courtesy of Tala Worrell

Worrell investigated Egypts revolution by tracing her family history.

4 Campus news
continued from page 1 288 public universities and 104 private universities, according to the report. Policies analyzed include Internet use guidelines and protest and discrimination policies. The foundation uses federal standards to evaluate whether a policy violates free speech. In the case of sexual harassment policies, the foundation relies solely on the Davis standard, established in the 1999 Supreme Court case Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education, which holds that student behavior must be severe, pervasive and objectively offensive to qualify as sexual harassment, Majeed said. Davis is the only decision handed down by the Supreme Court, and that makes it a controlling decision from the nations highest court, he added. There are many external organizations that provide assessments and rankings using any range of criteria and methodology, wrote Vice President for Public Affairs and University Relations Marisa Quinn in an email to The Herald. I am not aware of the criteria used by (the foundation) so am not able to comment on the assessment. The University community values and promotes freedom of speech and freedom of expression and ensures that its principles and standards of community conduct are clear, shared and well understood, Quinn wrote. Student responses to the rating were conflicted. The examples continued from page 1

the Brown Daily herald wednesday, February 8, 2012

U. defends sexual harassment policy Faculty votes against

calendar change
between the Universitys level of donations and the funds given to New Haven by Yale. Though Yale gives considerably more to its hometown, Brown proportionally pays more of its endowment to the city of Providence than Yale. Simmons also explained the chronology of the negotiations between Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and the University, saying that last April the mayor asked her for an additional $5 million to aid the city. Simmons said she told him, based on faculty governance, that it was complicated to deliver additional donations in a timely manner, though Taveras was invited to make a pitch to the meeting of the Corporation, the Universitys highest governing body, last May. Going forward, Simmons said she set terms for future discussion between the city and the University regarding donations. The University should not be the only nonprofit singled out, she said, adding that she could not partner with the city if the mayor continued to vilify the University to the press. The University cannot see the city fall apart, she said, but donations must be made in a rational way. We have no choice but to work hard to see what we can do to help without crippling the University, she said. Faculty members also voted

Courtesy of the Foundation for individual Rights in Education

A free speech organization criticized the Universitys sexual harassment policy.

(the foundation) gave were very vague, I guess necessarily, because its a hypothetical example and not like a real-life example, said Jean Mendoza 12. I never considered them problematic, but I can see why they would. I never really evaluated it because Im inside Brown, but just hearing an outsider judge and evaluate our system and point out this flaw, that makes you

question how Brown functions, Mendoza said. Reading the (sexual harrassment) policy didnt come across as vague or over-broad, said Zack McKenzie 14. It just came across as concise, more in that its not a 50-page policy. Its easy enough for students to understand. So while it lacks specific elaboration that could go on for pages, it does enumerate its policy clearly.

not to change the academic calendar, which is determined by the faculty rules and regulations. This motion was separate from the four other options proposed in the December faculty meeting, which proposed changing the starting date of the school year in 2013 since it conflicts with Rosh Hashanah. This motion was approved after much debate about the merits of beginning before or after Labor Day as well as University attempts to accommodate religious holidays within the calendar. Faculty members also discussed the role of teaching versus the role of research, as a shorter summer break would conflict with many faculty plans to conduct research. Chung-I Tan, professor of physics and chair of the Campus Advisory Committee, spoke on behalf of the Campus Advisory Committee for the Presidential Search. The process is ongoing and on schedule, he said, and the Corporation and the committee are working together in the next steps of the search process. He emphasized the need for confidentiality to ensure the best results for the next president and did not take any questions. Provost Mark Schlissel 15 gave a report about athletics to faculty members. He highlighted efforts to reduce the number of recruiting slots to prospective students and to increase the academic caliber of incoming student athletes. These efforts involve using an academic index to track recruits performance at the University as compared to that of their peers who are not involved with athletics. Schlissel also talked about initiatives to improve and broaden the academic career of current student athletes. Athletes should not be as clustered in certain courses, he said, adding that the dean of the College wants athletes to think more broadly about their academic life. Schlissel discussed the ongoing efforts of the Brain Science Initiative, an interdisciplinary program that attempts to study the brain on multiple scientific levels. There are around seven positions open to candidates in multiple departments, and the administration is working on fundraising for the initiative, he said.

www.browndailyherald.com

the Brown Daily herald wednesday, February 8, 2012

Campus news 5
Museum asks students to come and play
continued from page 1 The Haffenreffer Museum, which according to Lubar now possesses approximately 1 million artifacts, originally began as the private collection of Rudolf Haffenreffer, a Rhode Island philanthropist who founded the King Philip Museum in Bristol in the early 1900s. In 1955, the museum, along with 220 acres of land, was donated to the University and named after the late industrialist. The Haffenreffer Museum operated remotely in Bristol until 2006, when the University set up the display space in Manning Hall. Today, the museum occupies both buildings, and the location in Bristol serves as the Collections Research Center. The first floor of Manning Hall has since received a makeover. With a brand new sign on the previously unmarked door and the interior walls of the museum redone in primary colors, the display space seems as bright and cheerful as an IKEA storeroom. But instead of Swedish furniture, the walls and stands are lined with artifacts. Lubar springs to life as he talks about the new exhibits his voice speeds up and he eagerly elaborates on the artifacts. The museum currently features three exhibits artifacts from aboriginal Taiwan and early Rhode Island and Chinese paintings. Up until two years ago, the museum did one exhibit in the whole space every other year, Lubar said. Now, in addition to three exhibit galleries, the museum has also added a CultureLab to simulate its Bristol facility, he said. A small, well-lit corner, the CultureLab features some of the museums artifacts that are not on display with information on their histories and significance.
a makeover at Manning

Lack of interest stymies e-books

continued from page 1 The eventual goal is for students to pay a base course-materials fee and then gain access to all the etextbooks at reduced prices, according to the Chronicle. Universities would purchase e-textbooks in bulk at lower costs, a move that appeals to publishers because it provides a steady source of income in an increasingly multidimensional and uncertain industry. In a rapidly evolving technological world, it is important for universities to consider all the options and determine what works best for students and faculty, said Clare van den Blink, assistant director for academic technology services and user support for Cornell Information Technologies, who is overseeing the program at the university. Thats what were doing the pilot to find out, because (online) textbooks are different than if youre reading for your own enjoyment, she said. Right off the bat, I would say if you have a textbook that has multimedia embedded, then it sort of lends some different opportunities for unique kinds of learning. Cornell bookstore sales have been steady in recent years, van den Blink said, adding that the semester-long pilot program will evaluate the software program, Courseload, as well. A separate program at Indiana University, spearheaded over the past few years as a pilot program and implemented university-wide at the start of this school year, has relied on a different business model to make e-textbooks widely available. The Indiana University eText Initiative includes a fee for books in each class that is mandatory but lower than traditional costs. Publishers eliminate printing costs and get paid each semester that a student uses an e-book, rather than only receiving pay when books are sold to the university, according to Nik Osborne, leader of the Indiana initiative and chief of staff for the vice president for information technology. This system generates financial incentives for all parties, he said. Students have responded favorably thus far, Osborne said, adding that emerging technologies will only make the software more palatable in future years. The softwares getting better and better to where books are becoming less and less of the static PDFs, he said. Its actually interactive, so students and faculty can highlight, annotate they can share their annotations directly. Osborne said the changes have gone smoothly because the choice to use e-textbooks is entirely at each professors discretion, and students can print out any part of the e-textbooks free of charge. At Brown, a major shift to etextbooks is not a top priority, for matters of both cost-efficiency and interest, Souza said. What Ive observed in the past is that e-textbooks arent all that different in price, he said. The students havent embraced it. Weve kind of made that a back-burner topic because of the lack of interest. Mike McDade, textbook department manager at the bookstore, said the issue is not the unavailability of e-textbooks, which have proliferated as options at most major publishing houses in the past few years. I think the reticence particularly on this campus is twofold, he said. Given the bookstores popular textbook rental program and other low-cost options like Amazon, the appeal of even the cheapest e-textbooks is limited, McDade said, citing a large biology e-textbook that sold fewer than 10 copies in a class of 200 despite its $40 price tag. In addition, most e-textbooks are not returnable, a system frequently incompatible with the fluctuations of shopping period. Though bookstore sales, like those across the nation, had been falling for a few years, the introduction of the textbook rental program in January 2011 has stopped the decline, Souza said. Sales have remained steady for the past few semesters. On campus, students who have used e-textbooks before expressed mixed reactions to the technology. Poulomi Chakrabarti GS said she has used online textbooks in many of her classes and finds it both a cheaper and more efficient method, but she also recognizes some of the drawbacks. It takes a while to get used to, and I write on my readings and I highlight, which is difficult to do on an online textbook, she said.

The Haffenreffer Museum is also establishing new connections to draw visitors, from partnering with classes on campus to initiating other joint ventures with the University. Two of the museums current exhibits are the results of a collaboration between the museum and the Universitys ongoing Year of China initiative. The planning has been in the works for a while, said Year of China coordinator Shana Weinberg. In addition to the Manning displays, the Haffenreffer Museum and Year of China have collaborated on sister exhibits such as one of Daoist robes at the Rhode Island School of Design and a satellite exhibit featuring a Chinese imperial robe in Faunce. The Haffenreffer Museum is also seeking a return to its teaching museum roots by involving classes and other students in its exhibits. Lubar said an ethnic studies class will be curating an exhibit in April, and a class on the archaeology of money recently explored the museums collections. Weve got a couple of classes that are bringing students by to actually handle objects and learn from objects, he said. It should be used like a library. The Haffenreffer Museum has also reached out to students outside the social sciences the newly-installed Chinese paintings have integrated technology. A group of students working with Andries van Dam, professor of computer science, has created a touch screen system, Lubar said. If you want to know more about any object, you can touch it and it tells us who it is, what the various symbolism is, he said, referring to the portraits. The display is crisp and clean and shows off the 17th-century paintings in bright high-quality resolution. Lubar said the project offered computer science students

Inter-disciplines

the opportunity to apply their skills to the real world. Collaborating with these students also offers the museum the opportunity to update its exhibits and bring in more attention, he said. The Haffenreffer Museum has traditionally made use of an unofficial student advisory board to attract interest. Last semester, this board successfully applied for UCS recognition and is now a Category I student organization. Members of the Haffenreffer Museum Student Group are trying to bring the museum to the students and bring the students to the museum, said co-president Hannah Sisk 13. The group organizes visits to the gallery on campus and trips to the Bristol site so that students can see what it takes to run a large scale museum, she said. It has also expanded to include three committees managing oncampus outreach, general programming and exhibit curating. Sisk, who became involved with the group out of her love for the ancient and the old, said not many students take advantage of the museum. Its kind of a really odd situation that we have hundreds of thousands of objects and artifacts in collection over there but only a small gallery to show them here, she said. Youd be surprised how many people stumble in and say, I had no idea this was here, this is cool, Sisk said. Lubar said he does not want to look too far into the future but plans to increase student outreach. What were eager to do is to move all of our collections close to campus so that students can get access to them more easily, he said. Then we will be able to really open it up and say, Come and play with this stuff.
new and old friends

COMiCS
Fraternity of Evil | Eshan Mitra, Brendan Hainline and Hector Ramirez

6 editorial
EDiTORiAL In Rhode Island we trust
Rhode Island officials approved a decennial redistricting bill last Wednesday that will restructure political boundaries throughout the states two congressional districts. The legislations passage has left politicians and citizens alike questioning the bills impartiality and the degree of influence its chief beneficiary, Rep. David Cicilline 83, D-R.I., had in its controversial passage. While the bill purports to give minorities a greater voice in government, we believe this is just a public justification for political self-interest. Although numerous Rhode Island politicians, including House Minority Leader Brian Newberry, R-North Smithfield, have complained about the bills adverse effects on their respective House districts, the biggest consequence of its passage occurs on the district level. Democrats currently hold seats in each of the two congressional districts, and the bill dictates that thousands of registered voters from the district of Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., would be incorporated into Cicillines district, while strongly GOP towns would become part of Langevins district. The bill bodes tremendously well for Cicilline and his supporters, but it will hurt Langevins campaign toward re-election. Though the bills supporters claim it was designed to enhance minority voices in Rhode Island politics, it seems likely that it was intentionally designed to serve the best interests of Cicilline and his constituents. Several politicians have accused Cicilline of gerrymandering, or manipulating the boundaries of the districts in his favor. We believe it is unacceptable for lawmakers to pass legislation that deliberately panders to a politically powerful position or influence, especially when the legislation affects the voting public. However, the issue reaches a broader perspective than gerrymandering. The state GOP, as marginalized as it already is, will lose even more influence and voters in Cicillines district due to redistricting. The bill is significantly less generous to Republicans and their voters, and it significantly boosts Cicillines re-election chances. Even though we may oppose many of the Republican Partys views, Rhode Island will not benefit from a bill that, in essence, creates a more divisive attitude in an already partisan state. As history shows, political offices ultimately resemble despotism without formidable challengers to keep them in check. Although Cicilline is certainly no despot, it seems that he is willing to cross measures, and borders, in order to sustain his position. Given Cicillines recent track record, it is especially vital for a politically healthy Rhode Island that challengers always be granted the opportunity to question policy and offer other sensible options to the voting public. Because Rhode Island is such a small state, the redistricting bill affects a sizeable number of Rhode Islanders, making it of crucial importance that the bill is carried out in a fair and egalitarian fashion. We have faith in the political process, and in spite of our political views, we concede the importance of the GOP in sustaining the state. We cannot support a redistricting bill that was conceived without the best interests of Rhode Island at heart. editorials are written by The heralds editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.

the Brown Daily herald wednesday, February 8, 2012

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the Brown Daily herald wednesday, February 8, 2012

opinions 7
Drifting apart
that is, emphasis on rankings and revenue and a more inward one, where the undergraduate educational experience reemerges as the most important priority. While there might be something to be gained from framing the presidential search in this way, or even as a choice between someone who will continue in the same vein as Simmons and someone who envisions something different, it seems to oversimplify matters. Earlier in the series, Provost Mark Schlissel P15 offers, albeit indirectly, another possibility. He says Browns mission New York Times earlier this year in which he speculates on potential changes to the educational system. Setting aside the fact that Summers has had some questionable views on differences between the sexes and that Harvard is one of the universities the Mission Drift? series accuses Brown of imitating, there are some worthwhile observations, including ideas about learning to process information rather than impart it, increasing collaborative efforts and integrating the benefits of advanced technology. sole measure of development. The series is also right to question the extent to which the changes enacted by President Simmons had some sort of philosophical underpinning. In an institution with a history that includes President Henry Wristons outline for a university-college and the Magaziner-Maxwell Report, the absence is conspicuous. The Plan for Academic Enrichment, which is essentially the hallmark of President Simmons tenure, seems to offer goals rather than the reasons for having such goals. For me, the most telling quote to emerge from the series came not from Simmons but from Dean of Admission Jim Miller 73, who said Brown is now a high-powered research university and that the universitycollege concept is not as relevant to people. It remains unclear how the University, with what appears to be an increased focus on growth and peer imitation, can maintain the distinctive character that brought so many of us to College Hill. As responsible journalists, the series reporters included a question mark within the title of their series in order to allow readers to draw their own conclusions. As someone who played no part in the development of the series and whose sole responsibility as an opinions writer is to ensure his opinions are clear, I feel there is no need to include the question mark. Sam Carter 12 encourages everyone to read the Mission Drift? series. He can be reached at samuel_carter@brown.edu.

By SAM CARTER
opinions Columnist
Toward the end of the fall semester, The Herald published a four-part series entitled Mission Drift? that examined how the University has changed during the tenure of President Ruth Simmons and what those changes might mean for the future of our university-college. In addition to being an unexpected but welcome departure from more traditional Herald coverage, it is perhaps the only place where one can begin to understand Simmons Plan for Academic Enrichment in a broader context, and how this vision for the Universitys future differs markedly from that of some of her predecessors. As the series notes, the Magaziner-Maxwell Report, which was published in 1967 and ultimately led to the formation of the New Curriculum, suggests that institutional self-study is an important part of University activity. While the Mission Drift? series is in no way an attempt at serious selfstudy, it does serve as a good starting point for reflecting on both the present state of our institution a natural first step in the self-study process and what might happen after Simmons steps down at the end of the academic year. The last piece concludes by saying that the Universitys 19th president will have to decide between a more outward focus

As the Mission Drift? series rightly suggests, growth does not need to be the sole measure of development.

statement must be interpreted in each generation anew, but its written in a way thats broad and ambitious and aspirational, that can meet each generations interpretation. And here seems to be a more useful criterion by which to judge a potential presidential candidate whether he or she can interpret the mission statement in a way that not only corresponds to student interpretations but also indicates a willingness to explore opportunities presented by ever-developing technology. Lawrence Summers, former president of Harvard, wrote an essay published in the

I am not suggesting that Spencer Stuart, the search firm assisting the presidential search committees, give Summers a call. I only mention his name as a recent example of someone who is thinking about how higher education can evolve in the 21st century a trait the new president on College Hill ought to possess. The same openness that characterizes our curriculum and supposedly pervades our self-proclaimed liberal environment should also extend to new possibilities for developing the Brown education. As the Mission Drift? series rightly suggests, growth does not need to be the

Unequal opportunity
By REBECCA MCGOLDRiCK
opinions Columnist
All around, hints of spring abound. The temperature rises, the birds sing and minutes of sunlight gradually increase by the day. But one thing seems to notify college students that it is springtime more than anything else internships. Emails fill our inboxes with opportunities, recruiters come to campus and friends discuss their summer work plans with each other. In all of the excitement and anxiety, we sometimes forget to consider one of the most important questions: Is it paid? The number of students taking internships today is unprecedented in modern American history. A survey conducted by the National Association for Colleges and Employers claims that only 9 percent of college students in 1992 took internships, compared to a jaw-dropping 80 percent in 2008. According to an article published by National Public Radio, More than 1 million Americans a year work as interns. This all sounds dandy if you believe an internship is a valuable experience that prepares students for the workforce by providing hands-on training, but a closer examination reveals a sobering reality. Of the million American internships a year, approximately half are unpaid. According to the United States Department of Labor, unpaid internships in for-profit industries are legal so long as they meet certain criteria, including that the internship is educational, benefits the intern, does not directly benefit the employer and does not displace paid employees. Unsurprisingly, many employers have taken advantage of this vague language at the expense of dissolving a healthy American middle class. At a time when a list of internships on a resume is often more marketable than a college degree, it is undeniable that internships lead to economic opportunities. But a survey conducted by NACE in 2011 reveals that while 61 percent of paid interns in the for-profit sector received job offers, only 38 percent of unpaid interns working at forprofits did. So why is this the case? paycheck and training that actually makes them employable in the future. It seems then that most unpaid internships are in direct contradiction with the U.S. Department of Labors criteria, since they do not provide educational training, are of no benefit to the intern, provide an immediate benefit to the employer and replace paid jobs with free student labor. At a time when jobs are scarce, unpaid internships pose a serious threat to paid employment. Employers can re-market once-paid positions as unpaid internships. With the surplus of student labor willing to work for free, employers are almost guarployers expect resumes with a laundry list of internships, which is fine if mommy and daddy are capable of paying for an apartment, food and transportation for the summer. But what about students who come from families that cannot afford to fund three months of living? If students do need to earn money during the summer in order to pay for things like books in the fall, they may take a paying job that does not necessarily provide the educational training that is supposed to come with an internship. And according to another survey conducted by NACE, students who had internships had higher starting salaries after graduation than those who did not have internships. Thus, lower-income students are essentially required to work for free now in addition to having to pay off student loans in the future if they want to be as marketable as their wealthier friends after graduation. So this spring as you make your summer plans, consider the effects of unpaid internships. If you cannot find an internship that provides educational training or a salary, then instead of sitting over a paper shredder for hours without pay, why not do something more meaningful, like volunteer? Volunteering is the same as an unpaid internship in that you can put it on your resume, but instead of perpetuating this unequal system of opportunity, volunteering helps communities in need. Rebecca McGoldrick 12 is an English concentrator from Andover, n.J. She can be reached at rebecca_mcgoldrick@brown.edu.

With the surplus of student labor willing to work for free, employers are almost guaranteed that an open unpaid position will be filled if not by you, then by one of your peers.

Students with paid internships reported that they received hands-on training, performed professional tasks and had more responsibilities than those who worked as unpaid interns, who performed more clerical work. This means that nearly half a million Americans working as unpaid interns a year perform menial tasks like folding boxes, stuffing envelopes and shredding files, while another half a million receive a

anteed that an open unpaid position will be filled if not by you, then by one of your peers. So long as the Department of Labors regulations contain such vague language, there is nothing stopping employers from abusing this surplus of free labor. In addition to replacing paid labor and failing to provide educational training, unpaid internships perpetuate the growing socioeconomic divide. Today, many em-

Daily Herald Campus news

the Brown
By laurEn PoPE Contributing Writer

wednesday, February 8, 2012

Students head south to research civil rights U. condemns bill limiting

public research access

By shEfalI luthra neWS editor

As part of a nearly 50-year-old partnership with Tougaloo College, Brown students will travel to the school in Tougaloo, Miss. this spring break to explore the civil rights movement. Francoise Hamlin, assistant professor of Africana studies, and Maitrayee Bhattacharyya 91, associate dean for diversity programs, will lead the trip. They will choose approximately four students through an application that was due yesterday. Mississippi and its history (have) a lot to teach students in the northeast about the nation through its contrast and similarities, Hamlin wrote in an email to The Herald. By bringing students to Mississippi to breathe the air, visit sites of the mass movement and sites of murder, a better understanding of this national history can be grasped. The students who participate will benefit enormously from the trip, Hamlin added. The University formed its partnership with Tougaloo, a liberal arts and historically black college, in 1964, instituting collaborative research and exchange programs, according to the Brown University-Tougaloo College Partnership website. The partnership includes a teaching program, through which Brown graduate students act as faculty at Tougaloo, and a semester exchange program for undergraduate students from both schools. Hamlin said she hopes the trip will be a way to re-strengthen ties between the two schools and will generate interest in the semester exchange. Its an educational and research trip as much as it is a trip to expand social and cultural connections, she wrote. While the application was open to all undergraduate students, the majority of students

Courtesy of Francoise Hamlin

Brown students will visit Tougaloo College to study the civil rights movement.

Courtesy of Khalila Douze

Students will visit this store which was associated with a brutal 1955 murder.

who applied are enrolled in Hamlins AFRI 1090: Black Freedom Struggle Since 1945, she wrote. One graduate student in Hamlins HIST 2790: Rethinking the Civil Rights Movement will also participate. The students in Hamlins courses who are selected to

participate in the trip will have background knowledge of the civil rights movement in Mississippi. In preparation for the trip, they will read two additional books and participate in a seminar with Hamlin. Once they arrive in Mississippi, the students will do some archival work, Hamlin wrote.

The University has publicly condemned a bill that would require publishers to approve open access to government-funded research. Currently, if research receives any funding from the National Institutes of Health, it must be made publicly available via an index maintained by the National Library of Medicine. Studies published in subscription-based journals must become public within one year of initial publication. The Research Works Act would require consent from subscription-based journals before studies they have published could be made publicly available. The University condemned the legislation for a whole variety of reasons, said Provost Mark Schlissel P15. He cited the limitations it could impose on community access to student and faculty research as the most troubling part of the proposal. Its a bill that would benefit for-profit publishers at the expense of the scholarly community and the public by imposing an increased barrier to access to the product of our research, Schlissel said. Faculty members are not currently required to publish their research in open journals, Schlissel said. If the bill passed, members of the University community who did not subscribe to particular journals would have difficulty accessing the studies published both at Brown and at

other institutions. Schlissel, whose own research in the biological sciences is funded by NIH grants, said it would be disappointing if someone had to subscribe to a journal to read his findings. Its a matter of public policy, he said. As a country, wed like to lower the barriers to the access to research. The bill has also been condemned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of California and Oxford University presses, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported last month. But it has received support from the Association of American Publishers. At a time when job retention, United States exports, scholarly excellence, scientific integrity and digital copyright protection are all priorities, the Research Works Act ensures the sustainability of this industry, said Tom Allen, president and chief executive officer of the Association of American Publishers, in a release from the organization. Clyde Briant, vice president for research, initially brought the bill to Schlissels attention. Schlissel told President Ruth Simmons he recommended condemning the bill, an action Simmons told him she supported. The University is currently considering a policy that would make all research done at Brown freely accessible to the public, The Herald reported last October. Such policies are already in place at MIT and Princeton.

bearing the new year light

Sam Kase / Herald

The bear statue on the Main Green celebrates Chinese new year with a lantern.