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vol. cxliv, no. 31 | Friday, March 6, 2009 | Serving the community daily since 1891
SPOTLIGHT
Attrition, layoffs
Lincoln’s birthday card makes the rounds
By Dan Alexander
to cut 60 positions
Staf f Writer More job cuts in future can’t be
Hallmark doesn’t sell birthday ruled out, administrators say
cards for 200-year-olds, so one
intrepid artist had to come up with By Nicole Friedman for Facilities Management Stephen
her own medium to wish Abraham Senior Staf f Writer Maiorisi said he was “pretty sure”
Lincoln a happy bicentennial. facilities jobs would be among
A “birthday card” for Lincoln The University will eliminate about those cut.
making its way on a nationwide 60 staff positions by July, as many as Facilities is looking at “what the
tour is at the Warwick Mall — one half of which may require layoffs. appropriate staffing level would
of nine stops before it reaches “At least 30 to 35” of the cuts will need to be” in its Planning, Design
its tenth and final destination at eliminate currently vacant positions, and Construction Office, now that
the rededication ceremony at the but the rest will be made through the University is cutting back on
Lincoln Memorial on May 30. layoffs, said Beppie Huidekoper, capital projects, Maiorisi said.
The card will remain in War- executive vice president for finance There are about 30 employees on
wick until March 7. and administration. that staff, he added.
Created by artist Wendy Allen, The positions, which will be cut None of the layoffs are of union
the birthday card is composed of by the end of June, were identified personnel, according to Sarno. “If
four six-by-four-feet fabric panels Dan Alexander / Herald by senior administrators and then and when layoffs become neces-
for people to sign, wishing Lin- Artist Wendy Allen, who designed Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birth- reviewed and approved by Presi- sary of union staff,” he said, they
coln a happy 200th. A banner run- day card, has painted 250 portraits of the 16th president. dent Ruth Simmons, Provost David would be made in accordance with
ning across the top of the panels traits in the last 28 years. Lincoln, it’s not work.” Kertzer ’69 P’95 P’98 and the Cor- the University’s collective bargain-
says, “Happy Birthday, President She paints almost nothing else. Allen’s eyes light up and she poration. Though all the employees ing agreements.
Lincoln” and is signed, “from the She has tried a few landscapes, gesticulates excitedly when she who will be laid off this year have The University has union con-
People,” followed by the year. animals and family portraits but talks about Lincoln. “It’s not really been identified, University officials tracts with some employees of
Portraits Allen painted of the doesn’t seem to enjoy them as any part of him or his face” that inter viewed by The Herald said Dining Ser vices, Facilities, the
president rest on easels next to much. make her want to paint the former they did not know when affected Department of Public Safety and
the panels. Though there are only “They are horrible,” she president over and over. It’s “what staffers would be told. the libraries.
four on display at the mall, Allen said. “It’s just not nearly as fun. Administrators are “taking the Simmons first said job cuts
has painted over 250 Lincoln por- It seems like work. When I paint continued on page 3 time” to make sure they “have were on the way in an e-mail to the
enough information” about sever- Brown community after the Corpo-
ance pay and benefits before tell- ration’s meeting last month. Since
News.....1-4
Arts........5-6
Arts, 5 Sports, 7 Opinions, 11
Spor ts...7-9 ch-ch-changes SCore! tame house
Editorial..10 PW puts a contemporary Brown athletes take home Anthony Staehelin ’10
Opinion...11 twist on Ovid’s classic Ivy and ECAC honors across defends Greek life at
Today........12 “Metamorphoses” the board Brown
C ampus N EWS “What we made was not enough to sustain all the expenses
to operate.” — Nino DeMartino, owner of Cafe Roba Dolce
Vitaminwater A-OK,
layof fs. Some of Brown’s peer Huidekoper said. had yet to hear how the invitations
schools have already cut jobs. Though a hiring freeze for all had been received.
Dartmouth, for example, recently staff and administrators has been “Since we’ve essentially identi-
cut 60 staff members and gave 28
others reduced hours. Seventy
more staf f members accepted
in place since November, a new
Vacancy Review Committee of top
administrators reviews requests
fied the cuts for this year, we have
the time to set the apparatus in
place” to determine savings for
according to NCAA
retirement offers. for hires and approves those it future years, she said. “When you By Chelsea Xu pounds found in the Vitaminwater
Brown did not offer early re- deems absolutely necessar y. All have anything this widespread, Contributing Writer flavors in question are taurine — also
tirement packages or buyouts to requests from public safety, as you have to augment your struc- found in Red Bull — and glucosamine,
employees, Huidekoper said. She well as positions having to do ture.” Student-athletes concerned over the which is sometimes used to rebuild
added in an e-mail to The Herald with student health, have been The University anticipates hav- presence of trace amounts of NCAA- cartilage or heal joints.
that “only a few” employees will be approved, Huidekoper said. Hir- ing to eliminate more positions banned substances in some flavors But according to the NCAA state-
asked to work reduced hours, and ing requests for grant-supported in the future, which Huidekoper of Vitaminwater can breathe easier ment, “An average-sized healthy man
that such a move “is still under research have also been approved, said it hopes to “do as much as now. would have to drink ten 20 oz. bottles
discussion.” she said. possible” through reorganization The National Collegiate Athletic of Vitaminwater Energy or Rescue
Among other hires that have and attrition. But “as it turns out,” Association released a statement last within several hours of competition”
Permanent vacancies been approved are a second-shift she said, “not a lot of people are month, emphasizing that normal to be at risk of a positive urine test.
There are currently empty custodian for Pembroke campus leaving right now.” consumption of the flavored drink The NCAA could not be reached for
positions that will be eliminated residence halls and a temporary “People are holding onto their is safe. additional comment.
throughout the University, includ- administrative assistant for the jobs,” she said. “Normal daily consumption of any “There was never a ‘ban’ of these
ing in the Office of the President, Sarah Doyle Women’s Center. The Organizational Review of the 13 Vitaminwater varieties will products in the first place,” said Sarah
the Office of the Dean of the Col- Committee, which was created not place a student-athlete at risk for Fraser, assistant athletic director for
lege and Human Resources and Future cuts in November to find ways to cut testing positive,” the organization said compliance.
Facilities. Though Simmons said the Uni- expenditures, will continue to in the Feb. 11 statement. The NCAA Max Lubin ’12, a member of the
Campus life and student ser- versity is currently focusing on the search for “redundancies” and said “inaccurate” media coverage had men’s water polo team, said Brown
vices, for example, under went a “part of it that we need to do by ways to run the University more created a misunderstanding. athletes have generally been “indif-
large-scale reorganization March next academic year,” millions of efficiently, Sarno said. The com- Three Vitaminwater flavors con- ferent” about the situation.
1, distributing more duties to dollars in savings will be needed mittee is made up of faculty mem- tain small amounts of “impermissible” Still, John Zoppo ’12, a member
current employees instead of re- to achieve a balanced budget by bers, staff and administrators. substances so schools cannot provide of the football team, said student ath-
the drinks to students, but students letes are aware of the rules and are
sudoku are allowed to buy them on their own held responsible for what they con-
accord, according to the statement. sume. “Athletes are randomly tested
The Department of Athletics a few times a year,” he said.
sent an e-mail to student-athletes Just to be safe, Zoppo said, he
last month, making them aware of bought a pack of another energy
the presence of stimulants in the Vi- drink, but added that no one he
taminwater flavors. knows has significantly changed his
Among the psychoactive com- or her habits since the warning.
Daily Herald
about $5,000 to the corporation, 31-percent increase in profit.
the Brown
which then paid the landlord. The idea for the cafe was to add
“The rent was high. Expenses something unique on the street,
Editorial Phone: 401.351.3372 | Business Phone: 401.351.3260 were high,” DeMartino said. “What DeMartino said. Even in the face
we made was not enough to sustain of the troubling economy and
Stephen DeLucia, President Jonathan Spector, Treasurer
all the expenses to operate.” declining revenues, he said, “We
Michael Bechek, Vice President Alexander Hughes, Secretary
But Roba Dolce is not the only had tried and tried.”
The Brown Daily Herald (USPS 067.740) is an independent newspaper serv- business experiencing economic “On a person level, I’d like to
ing the Brown University community daily since 1891. It is published Monday problems. A neighboring store’s continue on the business,” he said.
through Friday during the academic year, excluding vacations, once during
manager, who wished to remain “If (it’s) not possible, (it’s) not pos-
Commencement, once during Orientation and once in July by The Brown Daily
Herald, Inc. POSTMASTER please send corrections to P.O. Box 2538, Provi- anonymous, said profits are de- sible.”
dence, RI 02906. Periodicals postage paid at Providence, R.I. Offices are located clining. DeMar tino, who is tr ying to
at 195 Angell St., Providence, R.I. E-mail herald@browndailyherald.com. “Less students are coming to come to terms with the eviction
World Wide Web: http://www.browndailyherald.com.
shop. Store owners are hurting,” and watching the market closely,
Subscription prices: $319 one year daily, $139 one semester daily.
Copyright 2009 by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. All rights reserved. the manager said. “Shoppers are said he may consider relocating
hur ting, too. They (have) less his business.
Friday, March 6, 2009 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Page 3
Artist helps Lincoln celebrate the big 2-0-0 main set. Other cast members
include John and Gus’s friends
Dan and Kathy. Nick Bakshi ’10,
“Roundhouse,” by Joshua Mar-
cotte ’11, which should be ready
for air soon.
continued from page 1 the idea, Allen thought she would “I’m tr ying to bind the ages,” a Herald editorial page board Though producing “Campus
display the birthday card in New Allen said. “It’s not that long ago” member, plays Dan, who likes to Liquors” consumes several hours
he’s come to represent.” York City only. The closest she will that Lincoln was alive. She said it’s think that he works at the liquor each week, its cast and crew feel
“For me, he’s the first modern get to New York City is Rochester, important to keep in mind that Lin- store with John and Gus. Kathy, it’s worth it.
president,” Allen said. “He’s the N.Y., one of the 10 stops in a tour coln’s and others’ sacrifices are why played by Mariagrazia LaFauci “College gets life from alco-
soul of America. He made true the that has grown immensely since it Americans have the freedoms they ’12 provides the female pres- hol,” Dobrenko said. “It’s bad
Declaration of Independence,” she was first conceptualized. have today. ence and influence on the three to say, but it’s a big part of our
added, in reference to Lincoln’s part Warwick got on the small list of “We had a man from Georgia male friends. The first episode lives, so why not center a show
in helping to end slavery. cities that spans from Portland, Ore. sign it,” Allen said. “He thanked of “Campus Liquors” centers on around that?”
She has painted Lincoln with to Tallahassee, Fla. after Allen con- President Lincoln for being lenient
acr ylics and oils, with brushes tacted Sue Stenthouse, Rhode Island to the Confederacy and he drew a
and fingers. Some of her paintings director of community relations. little Confederate flag. It was like he
are grey, while others have bright Stenthouse contacted Warwick was really talking to Lincoln.”
orange backgrounds and red tints Mall Manager Linda Campbell, Allen said almost all the signa-
in Lincoln’s face, like the one she who encouraged Allen to display tures seem to display a personal
is working on at the mall. the birthday card at the mall. connection between the signer and
As people stop by and sign the In the middle of the mall walk- Lincoln.
card, Allen dips her fingers into way, in between Old Navy and Kay Some of the messages on the
acr ylic paint and gently moves Jewelers, Allen and Henderson sit panels are serious and thoughtful.
them across a 48-by-54-inch can- with the birthday card panels and “Dear Mr. Lincoln,” one person
vas. The portrait is painted from the the paintings, listening to the soft signed. “Your virtues will be revered
right side of Lincoln, slightly more sounds of the mall’s fountains and as long as there is an America.”
straight-on than the iconic profile the light music playing all day. Other messages are more play-
on the penny. Some of the shoppers don’t even ful.
Some of her paintings look like glance at the display and others look “For the greatest president on
Monets and others like van Goghs, as they walk by. his 200th Remembrance Day,” one
Elaine Henderson, co-producer of But some stop. They read the reads. “Still looking good after all
the birthday project, said of Allen’s sign which says that the panels are these years!”
work. “But they’re all unmistakably a birthday card and that they will be When the card reaches Wash-
hers.” in Washington at the end of May. ington, D.C., it will be signed for
Last year, Allen decided to com- A girl wearing a pink sweatshirt the last time. During the rededica-
bine her art with the birthday card who barely comes up to her dad’s tion of the Lincoln Memorial, the
tribute to Lincoln for his bicenten- waist pauses as she walks by the panels will be displayed on the John
nial birthday. panels. After asking if the girl wants F. Kennedy hockey fields, next to
Allen wrote a proposal to the to sign Lincoln’s birthday card, Hen- the reflecting pool in front of the
National Abraham Lincoln Bicen- derson lets her pick out her favorite Memorial.
tennial Commission, and the or- color — orange. The panels will then be archived
ganization endorsed her idea. But “Put your hand there and I’ll either at the National Archives in
all of the funding — for travelling, trace it,” the father tells his daugh- D.C. or at the Abraham Lincoln
hotels and supplies — came from ter. “See this,” he says pointing at Presidential Museum in Illinois.
her own pocket. another traced hand on the panel. According to Allen, the panels
“Money’s tight,” Allen said. “But
we still wanted to go ahead with
“Put your hand like that.”
When he finished tracing his
will be brought back out in 2109
for the Lincoln’s 300th birthday
Copy editing: Join the craze.
it.” daughter’s hand, the father wrote, and another rededication of his herald@browndailyherald.com
When she first came up with “Jada, 2” below the palm. memorial.
Page 4 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Friday, March 6, 2009
C ampus N EWS “It’s everything that makes you want to lift your game and write better.”
— Peter Carey, on Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time”
Opera ‘one big hookup’ cal myths — perhaps with the ex-
ception of a dialogue between the
angst-ridden teen Phaeton (Justin
vision. Particularly good perfor-
mances are given by Lauren Neal
’11, who is effortlessly funny as
“This isn’t heavy-handed stuff,”
Brown said, “and I’m fine with
that.”
By Rosalind Schonwald era,” Musical Director Diego Ramos Kuritzkes ’12) and his therapist Erysichthon’s mother, and by Liz
Staf f Writer Rosas ’12 explained. “In lots of Ital- (John Racioppo ’11) — the script Rothman ’11, the commanding “Metamorphoses” runs Fri.,
ian operas, the female lead dies at also left Brown’s team with the Aphrodite and graceful Psyche. March 6 through Mon., March 9
Brown Opera Productions will pres- the end. This one is very light.” liberty to blend ancient and mod- Tess Avitabile ’11 presents a at 8 p.m. every night, with a special
ent 19th-century Italian composer Director Michael Lubin ’10 ern. The costumes, for instance, convincing depiction of Hunger, midnight performance Sat. night.
Gaetano Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” agreed, characterizing the opera are colorful, toga-like garments for appropriately reminiscent of Gol- Tickets are available on PW’s Web
(“The Elixir of Love”) this weekend, as “an 1830s romantic comedy about most characters, yet King Midas lum from “The Lord of the Rings.” site and at the door.
March 6-8, in Alumnae Hall. misunderstandings” that “plays like
Despite the pressure and hard a fairy tale.”
work involved in putting on BOP’s The jovial thematic tone contrasts
most ambitious project yet, mem- with the level of technical difficulty
bers of the cast and crew said they the opera presents to directors, sing-
approached the experience with ers and instrumentalists. Many on
gusto, flair and excitement. the production team said they found
The opera’s plot involves a num- the structure and acoustic qualities
ber of characters figuring out what of Alumnae Hall to be major obsta-
most college students learn their cles. The stage’s proscenium has a
first week on campus. Nemorino, tendency to block sound from reach-
a poor peasant (Benjamin Skerritt ing the hall, so the performers said
’09), is in love with Adina (Alexan- they feel they have to compensate
dra Bachorik ’10). Desperate to get by singing even louder.
Adina’s attention, Nemorino buys a This acoustic difficulty, com-
“love elixir” from the mountebank bined with the opera’s two-hour
Dulcamara (Matthew Garza ’11). running time and the more than 30
But the sole ingredient in this elixir hours of rehearsal since last Friday,
is wine. seems to have taken a toll on the
“I think he’s madly in love with singers. Like much of the campus,
Adina, but is so timid and nervous they were battling colds — singer’s
that he can’t get anywhere,” said kryptonite.
Skerritt, explaining his conception But they remain optimistic.
of Nemorino, “When he’s drunk, or “We’re the bionic cast,” Bachorik
under the power of the love elixir, said. “We’re half-chemical, half-hu-
he gets courage he didn’t have be- man, half-Z-Pak.”
fore.” “You can’t really treat viral infec-
“It’s one big weekend hookup,” tions, so we’re all on steroids and
Skerritt added. antibiotics,” she joked.
Garza has a similarly playful and Despite technical obstacles and
Court likely
won’t reverse
Prop. 8
By Maura Dolan
Los Angeles Times
continued on page 8
SportsWeekend
The Brown Daily Herald
Athletes bring home Ivy, ECAC honors M. hoops looks for bright
Sports Staff Reports end to gloomy season
A number of Brown athletes received The men’s basketball team (7-19, ’90 with ex-teammate and Pioneers
recognition for outstanding individ- 1-11 Ivy League) will wrap up the Head Coach Jamie Munro ’89, an
ual performances last weekend and season by hosting Harvard (13- All-American during his stint with
throughout the season. 13, 5-7) on Friday and Dartmouth the Bears.
(9-17, 7-5) on Saturday at the Piz- Attackman Andrew Feinberg
Men’s hockey zitola Center. Both games at are 7 ’11 has exploded offensively, with
Jeff Buvinow ’12 and Assistant p.m. three goals and two assists in each
Captain Matt Vokes ’09 were each Last weekend, Matt Mullery ’10 of the team’s first two games. Col-
named to the All-Ivy Second Team. totaled 30 points, 17 rebounds and lins Carey ’10 has already matched
Vokes, a forward, leads the team eight blocks in two games — a 56- his 2008 total with four goals.
with 11 goals and 15 assists, while 48 loss to Princeton and a 64-54 loss The lacrosse action won’t stop
Buvinow, a defenseman, has three to Penn. on Saturday,
goals and stands second on the team The Bears Weekend Preview when the wom-
with 14 assists. will say good- en (1-1) host
In addition, Vokes earned a nomi- bye to two tri-captains, Chris Albany at 1 p.m. on the Berylson
nation for ECAC Hockey Player of Skrelja ’09 and Scott Friske ’09, this Family Fields. The Bears will look
the Week for his play this weekend. weekend. Skrelja has averaged 5.7 to rebound from an 11-7 loss last
Vokes scored a goal for Brown in points and 6.9 boards per game, Saturday to Hofstra. Jesse Nunn ’09
a 3-3 tie against Colgate on Friday good for second in the Ivy League leads the team with six goals, while
night and assisted on a goal in a 3-2 in rebounding. Friske, who has tal- Lauren Vitkus ’09 has chipped in
loss to Cornell the following night. lied 6.3 points and 5.1 rebounds three.
Bobby Farnham ’12 was nomi- per game, has missed the past four The men’s tennis team (10-4)
nated for ECAC Rookie of the Week games due to an illness and is un- will play twice over a long weekend,
after notching two assists against likely to play this weekend. hosting Fairleigh Dickinson on Sat-
Colgate. The No. 18 men’s lacrosse team urday at 1 p.m. and Marquette on
Mike Clemente ’12 continued his (1-1) will look to bounce back from Monday at 5 p.m. Last Saturday, the
Courtesy of Stew Milne
stellar play in goal and was nomi- a crushing 11-10, double-overtime Bears split a doubleheader, suffer-
After scooring a 9.775 on the Floor Exercise, Helen Segal ’10 was named
nated for ECAC Goaltender of the ECAC Rookie of the Week and to the All-Ivy Classic First Team loss to Hofstra last Saturday. The ing a 4-3 loss to Binghamton before
Week, recording 38 saves against Bears will host Quinnipiac (1-2) on whitewashing UConn, 7-0.
Colgate and another 39 against games for the men’s basketball team after the team took home a second- Friday at 3 p.m. and Denver (3-1) Youth won out last weekend,
Cornell. over the weekend, earning a place place finish at the Ivy Classic last on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Meister- as Kendrick Au ’11 went 4-0 and
on the Ivy Honor Roll. In a 56-48 weekend, Brown’s best performance Kavan Field. Jimmy Crystal ’12 won all three of
Women’s hockey loss to Princeton, Mullery scored The latter game will reunite his matches.
Goaltender Nicole Stock ’09 was 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting. He continued on page 8 Brown Head Coach Lars Tiffany — Sports Staff Reports
named to the All-ECAC Third Team followed that up with 19 points, 10
for her play this season. Stock, the rebounds and five blocks against
team captain and a Herald sports Penn in a 64-54 loss.
staff writer, finished the season with
a .921 save percentage and finished Women’s basketball
first in the Ivy League with 1,026 Though the women’s basketball
saves, a Brown record. team struggled over the weekend,
The selection is Stock’s second losing both of its games, Sadiea
consecutive. She made the Second Williams ’11 was named to the Ivy
Team last season. Honor Roll. Williams had 13 points
Paige Pyett ’12 was named to the and seven rebounds in a 61-38 loss
ECAC All-Rookie team after finish- to Princeton and then notched 11
ing the season with three goals and points, six rebounds and four steals
four assists. in a 55-48 overtime loss to Penn.
S ports W eekend
Existing gay marriages to be upheld Gymnasts receive
all-Ivy recognition
continued from page 6 mount such an effort or the financial noted that Prop. 8 was a mere 14
resources.” words and simply took away the “la-
The other two justices who ruled The Proposition 8 campaign fol- bel” of marriage.
in favor of marriage rights last year — lowed the California Supreme Court’s She reminded lawyers that the
Justice Carlos Moreno and Kathryn landmark 4-3 ruling on May 15 to “core” part of last year’s marriage rul- second team with a time of 14:27.12
continued from page 7
Werdegar — seemed more open to overturn a ban on same-sex mar- ing required the state to give sexual in the 5000m, and Reginald Cole ’10
the revision challenge. Moreno even riage. Gay couples quickly lined up orientation the same constitutional since 2002. rounded out the All-Ivy selections
helped gay rights lawyers with their to marry, many of them from out protection as race and gender. Helen Segal ’10 was awarded with a jump of 49 feet, 6.5 inches
arguments. of state. Prop. 8 “hasn’t destroyed equal ECAC Rookie of the Week honors in the triple jump, earning second
But the court revealed no division The wedding business was brisk protection,” Kennard said. “I think after an outstanding performance. team honors.
on whether to uphold the marriages until Nov. 4, when Prop. 8 passed with what you are overlooking is the very Segal scored a 9.775 to win the floor For the women, Nicole Burns
of an estimated 18,000 same-sex cou- 52 percent of the vote. The two sides broad powers of the people to amend exercise, for which she was named ’09 earned first-team accolades by
ples who wed before November. spent a total of more than $80 million, the constitution.” to the All-Ivy Classic First Team, running a 55.38 to win the 400m.
Even Justice Marvin Baxter, the She described the Prop. 8 case as and she also scored a 9.300 on vault. Danielle Grunloh ’10 also earned a
court’s most conservative member,
WORLD & NATION “completely different” from last year’s Vida Rivera ’11 received the ECAC spot on the first team by winning the
observed that the couples married the most ever for an initiative about marriage cases and stressed that Coaches Choice Award after she shot put with a personal-best throw
after receiving the right by “the high- a social issue. previous Supreme Court decisions scored a 9.750 for a first-place finish of 50 feet, 10.75 inches, while team-
est court of the state.” The legal challenges to the mea- “don’t support” the challenges. on bars, which also earned her a spot mate Brynn Smith ’11 threw 47 feet,
“How can we deny the validity of sure have been closely watched “What I am picking up from this on the All-Ivy Classic First Team. 10.5 inches to secure second-team
those marriages?” Baxter asked. around the nation. Both opponents case is that the court should willy Four other gymnasts earned All- honors. Anja Hergrueter ’10 also
The court’s ruling is due within and supporters of gay marriage nilly disregard the will of the people,” Ivy Classic recognition. Katie God- received a second-team selection
90 days. flocked to the state building here Kennard said. dard ’12 and Chelsey Binkley ’11 in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 7
Gay marriage advocates all but Thursday where the California Su- George also indicated that the secured First Team All-Ivy Classic inches. Also earning second-team
conceded defeat. preme Court is housed, each try- elevated constitutional status of honors after each placed second on honors was the 4x800m relay team,
Kate Kendell, executive director ing to drown out the other side with sexual orientation was more impor- the floor with a score of 9.750. consisting of Roseanne Fleming
of the National Center for Lesbian chants. tant than the “mere designation” of Victoria Zanelli made three Sec- ’12, Michaeline Nelson ’11, Emily
Rights, which represented some of Gay rights lawyers had argued marriage. ond Teams, for a fourth-place finish Mepham ’12 and Kesley Ramsey ’11,
the plaintiffs, acknowledged that the that Prop. 8 removed a fundamental He noted that the California con- on the bars with a 9.675, a fifth-place which ran a time of 8:59.55.
court had appeared skeptical of their right from a protected minority that stitution has been amended more finish on the beam with a 9.550 and a
arguments. has suffered discrimination. than 500 times and asked whether fourth-place finish in the all-around Men’s lacrosse
“I think conversations about go- As such, it revised the constitu- the real problem was that “it’s just with a 37.625. Lauren Tucker ’12 Andrew Feinberg ’11 was named
ing back to the ballot need to hap- tion, instead of merely amending it, too easy to amend the California scored a 9.575 on the beam to take to the men’s lacrosse Ivy Honor Roll
pen vigorously and strategically,” they said. Revisions can be placed on constitution.” fourth place and make the All-Ivy after scoring three goals and add-
Kendell said. “2010 would be the the ballot only by a two-thirds vote of “Maybe the solution has to be a Classic Second Team. ing two assists in an 11-10 double-
next statewide ballot, and in cam- the Legislature or a constitutional political one,” George said, and until overtime loss to Hofstra. Feinberg
paign terms, that is just around the convention. the amendment process is changed, Track and field leads Brown with six goals and four
corner. I just don’t know whether Kennard, traditionally a strong “isn’t this the system we have to At the Ivy League Heptagonal assists over the first two games of
we have the groundwork in place to supporter of gay rights, repeatedly live with?” Championships last weekend, 12 the season.
individuals from the track and field
team secured All-Ivy Honors. Baseball
Marc Howland ’11 ran a time Will Weidig ’10 was named to the
of 6.95 seconds in the 60m dash to Ivy Honor Roll for his performance
earn a spot on the All-Ivy second in a 3-2 loss to Florida International
team, while Matt Jasmin ’09 earned on Friday. In his first start of the
the same honor in the 60m hurdles season Weidig pitched eight innings,
with a time of 8.07 seconds. Duriel giving up just three runs while strik-
Hardy ’10 was also named to the ing out five batters.
Editorial & Letters
The Brown Daily Herald
l e t t e r to t h e e d i to r s
No GPAs at Brown
To the Editor: dents is not like comparing apples
to oranges. It’s more like comparing
I read with interest Jared Lafer’s carbon dioxide to dining chairs or
’11 column (“Fearing the NC,” Feb. sadness to salt.
24) in which Lafer argues that get- As far as a C dashing your “post-
ting a C in a course is somehow less college dreams” is concerned:
desirable than an NC because an Employers and graduate schools
NC does not appear on one’s exter- have no business asking for Brown
nal transcript while a C does. Lafer students’ GPAs. And Brown should
goes on the argue that a C “is a GPA ensure they know better. If for some
killer as its grade-point value of 2 reason a rogue employer or graduate
is sometimes enough to ruin one’s program asks what your GPA is at
post-college dreams.” Brown, you can give them one of two
Frankly, I’m astounded that Lafer answers, both of which worked just
could go through almost two years fine for me.
of Brown and still have such a fun- I applied — and was successful-
damental misunderstanding of the ly admitted — post-Brown to both
Brown curriculum. His statement Wharton for my MBA and Penn for
about GPAs is intellectually nonsen- a master’s program in engineering, pete fallon
sical, as Brown does not calculate even though as a Poli Sci concen-
GPAs. trator I took nary an undergradu-
Brown does this for one very sim- ate engineering course and not a l e t t e r s to t h e e d i to r s
ple and intellectually honest reason: single Brown math course. On the
GPAs are a fiction that cannot be application forms for both programs
calculated. Every student reading
this letter knows full well that A’s
in the little space where they ask
applicants for their GPAs, I simply Brown’s values worth more than money
are much harder to obtain in some wrote: “Brown University does not
courses than in others. And even if calculate GPAs.” To the Editor: A significant portion of the Brown community be-
all A’s were created equal, it would Separately, I was interviewed for lieves that the University’s values outweigh its capacity
also be nonsensical to numerically a job by an older Brown graduate. He In my view, Boris Ryvkin’s ’09 column (“Don’t feed to produce money and research. Brown’s mission (from
compare (with the precision that asked me for my GPA at Brown and the environmental troll,” March 4) articulates a harm- its Web site) begins with the responsibility “to serve the
GPAs portend) one student’s tran- I simply said, “Come on, Jim, you ful line of reasoning. Ryvkin identifies the economic community, the nation, and the world.” The University
script to another’s, unless they have know Brown doesn’t have GPAs.” crisis as a potent dilemma, but environmental or social therefore unites the exploration of progressive and novel
taken an identical set of courses at He sent me on to the next round of programs are not good scapegoats. causes with its academic output. While environmental
the same time with the same profes- the interview. Environmental reform is a long-term endeavor that efforts may not return immediately apparent results,
sors, and the same educational back- is both an investment and a means for improving the it would be irresponsible not to try.
ground prior to college. In short, Dave Morris ’88 standard of living. Preserving backward systems for I applaud Brown’s commitment to carbon neutrality,
using GPAs to rank or compare stu- March 4 the purposes of not incurring cost will lead to greater and we need not see this goal as a prohibitive tax on
inefficiency and unpleasantness later. Facilities Man- our livelihood. Certainly, priorities must shift to address
agement’s $5 million loan is not meant to cut into the pressing problems, but to ignore — or worse, deny —
t h e b r o w n d a i ly h e r a l d endowment. Rather, it seeks to promote change that the community and the environment we live in is wrong.
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editors Associate Editors Senior Editors will enhance the campus and save money. Ryvkin is Let us not confuse saving money with foolishness.
Steve DeLucia Michael Bechek Nandini Jayakrishna Rachel Arndt flatly wrong to deny Brown’s environmental impact —
Chaz Firestone Franklin Kanin Catherine Cullen
Michael Skocpol Scott Lowenstein consider all of the labs and buildings that have lighting Allan Stewart ’10
editorial Business and operation almost 24/7. March 4
Ben Hyman Arts & Culture Editor General Managers Office Manager
Hannah Levintova Arts & Culture Editor Alexander Hughes Shawn Reilly
Sophia Li Features Editor Jonathan Spector
Emmy Liss Features Editor Directors To the Editor: guaranteed annual return is a pretty tidy investment.
Gaurie Tilak Higher Ed Editor Ellen DaSilva Sales Director
Matthew Varley Higher Ed Editor Claire Kiely Sales Director
Certainly better than the nearly 30 percent loss the
George Miller Metro Editor Phil Maynard Sales Director In these challenging economic times, Brown needs to money would have seen as a portion of the endowment.
Joanna Wohlmuth Metro Editor Katie Koh Finance Director be both innovative and smart when planning its financial I won’t bother speaking to the benefits of a decreased
Chaz Kelsh News Editor Jilyn Chao Asst. Finance Director
Jenna Stark News Editor future. The best way to do this is to make secure invest- carbon footprint, the increased student awareness that
Benjy Asher Sports Editor Managers
ments that are sure to bring high returns. I’d like to will result from dorm energy monitoring systems or the
Andrew Braca Sports Editor Kelly Wess Local Sales
Alex Mazerov Asst. Sports Editor Kathy Bui National Sales provide Mr. Ryvkin with a simple answer to the question important example that Brown is setting for the rest
Katie Wood Asst. Sports Editor Alex Carrere University Sales he raised in Wednesday’s opinion column (“Don’t feed of the world, because frankly, I don’t need to. You can
Christiana Stephenson Recruiter Sales
Graphics & Photos
Matt Burrows Credit and Collections
the environmental troll,” March 4). He asked, “Why is complain all you want about University hiring freezes
Chris Jesu Lee Graphics Editor
Stephen Lichenstein Graphics Editor Opinions
Facilities Management, after exacerbating our shortfall and tuition increases as a result of the recession, but
Eunice Hong Photo Editor Sarah Rosenthal Opinions Editor with a $5 million loan for an energy efficiency program, by committing to energy efficiency improvements,
Kim Perley Photo Editor Editorial Page Board pushing ahead with this scheme?” After a quick search the University is investing its precious assets in the
Justin Coleman Sports Photo Editor James Shapiro Editorial Page Editor
Nick Bakshi Board member on the Facilities Web site for the 2008 Sustainability lowest-risk, highest-return option available. I only wish
production
Kathryn Delaney Copy Desk Chief
Zack Beauchamp Board member Report, you will see that Facilities spent $1 million of more Americans were engaging in such economically
Sara Molinaro Board member
Seth Motel Copy Desk Chief
William Martin Board member
the $5 million University loan in 2008. That $1 million rational behavior.
Marlee Bruning Design Editor
Jessica Calihan Design Editor
was spent on energy efficiency projects that save the
Anna Migliaccio Asst. Design Editor Post- magazine University $300,000 annually in energy bills. I don’t know Kirsten Howard ’09
Julien Ouellet Asst. Design Editor Arthur Matuszewski Editor-in-Chief about Mr. Ryvkin, but it seems to me that a 30 percent March 5
Neal Poole Web Editor Kelly McKowen Editor-in-Chief
Ben Hyman, Marlee Bruning, Joanna Lee Designers
Lauren Fedor, Geoffrey Kyi, Seth Motel Copy Editors
Sydney Ember, Brigitta Greene, Sophia Li, Hannah Moser Night Editors correction
Senior Staff Writers Mitra Anoushiravani, Colin Chazen, Ellen Cushing, Sydney Ember,
Lauren Fedor, Nicole Friedman, Britta Greene, Sarah Husk, Brian Mastroianni, Hannah
A comic in Thursday’s Herald, (“Socrates,” March 5) was incorrectly attributed. It was drawn by Luke
Moser, Ben Schreckinger, Caroline Sedano, Melissa Shube, Anne Simons, Sara Sunshine Jeffrey ’12.
Staff Writers Zunaira Choudhary, Chris Duffy, Nicole Dungca, Juliana Friend, Cameron
Lee, Kelly Mallahan, Christian Martell, Heeyoung Min, Seth Motel, Jyotsna Mullur, Lauren
Pischel, Leslie Primack, Anne Speyer, Alexandra Ulmer, Kyla Wilkes C O R R E C T I O N S P olicy
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Opinions
The Brown Daily Herald
Coal to the Brown Concert Agency for booking rapper Nas for Spring Weekend. We know
budgets have been tight recently, but surely you could have done better than a paltr y three
letters for the headliner two years in a row? (At least next year we’re sure to get T.I.)
Honestly, though, a diamond to the BCA for introducing online ticketing this year. There’s
no need to make students stand in line for more than an hour unless something truly critical
is at stake (like a rush-hour foccacia sandwich).
Coal to the hypocritical hippies from emPOWER who drove — yes, drove — to Washington,
3
D.C. from Providence. Maybe it was worthwhile, but next time you should emPEDAL your
freaking bikes instead.
A diamond to President Ruth Simmons, who told UCS that some “very senior” administrative
positions will be eliminated to save money on salaries. But what will we do without you?
c a l e n da r
A cubic zirconium to new Dartmouth president Jim Yong Kim ’82. Our tentative congratula-
today, march 6 Saturday, march 7 tions, but the idea of putting a sensitive Brown alum in charge of Brown’s hard-drinking cultural
opposite is so strange we’re not sure it isn’t an elaborate fraternity prank.
8 p.m. — Donizetti’s “L’elisir 7 P.M. — Boston Byzantine Choir
d’amore” presented by Brown Opera performance, Manning Chapel Coal to the University for enrolling a record 1,100 freshmen in first-year seminars. We
Productions, Alumnae Hall knew the numbers were artificially inflated when one of our staffers headed off to UNIV0640K:
9 p.m. — Girl in a Coma Concert: “Introduction to Katherine Bergeron’s Dr y Cleaning.”
8:30 P.M. — GAIA Concer t, A Women’s History Month kickoff
The Underground event, Sayles Hall A diamond to John Edwards, who will speak at Brown next week despite not having informed
the Brown Lecture Board of “an official speech topic.” It doesn’t matter — with that gorgeous
hair of yours, we’re not even paying attention to the words coming out of your mouth. (Neither
menu was New Hampshire.)
Sharpe Refectory Verney-Woolley Dining Hall A diamond to the endowment, which only sank to $2.01 billion at the end of 2008. The
Corporation figured we’d be at $2 billion in June — at worst — so we’ve still got a long way to
Lunch — Shrimp Stir Fry, Chicken Lunch — Chicken Fingers with fall before things look really bad.
Fingers with Dipping Sauces, Swiss Dipping Sauces, Sticky Rice, Sugar
Corn Bake Snap Peas Seriously though, coal, coal and COAL to the inconceivable fact that Brown just lost $800
million. That’s 139,130,435 meal credits, or enough Kozy Shack tapioca pudding to fill University
Dinner — Crispy Thai Tofu, Vegan Dinner — Seafood Jambalaya, Hall! (Don’t get any ideas, activists.)
Fried Rice, Filet of Sole with Spinach Macaroni and Cheese, Carrots
Stuffing Vichy
RELEASE DATE– Friday, March 6, 2009
DOWN
1 Where Bill and
Hillary met
By Jack McInturff
(c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
03/06/09 Don’t forget – spring your clocks forward, Sunday at 2 a.m.!