From a turbulent political climate and several campus activism campaigns to star-studded campus visits and business turnover on Thayer Street, the University community experienced various scales and styles of change in 2019.
Shake Shack opened for business and Shiru Cafe closed its doors less than two years after the cafe promised free drinks for current Brunonians, and a somewhat magical 200-foot-tall tower crane appeared on campus.
Coming after the 2018 midterm elections, and leading into the 2020 presidential race, 2019 was jam-packed with political news — some of which made its way to Providence. Presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Representative Tulsi Gabbard, D-HI, visited the Ocean State, with the Hawaii congresswoman making a stop on campus.
While politics played out on the national level, student activists took issues into their own hands, marching through the streets of Providence to join an international strike for climate justice and protesting against the detention of undocumented immigrants at Wyatt Detention Facility.
Students and administrators engaged with the state takeover of Providence public schools after the scathing Johns Hopkins report documented severe challenges to the school system.
Students also moved for internal change, as campus questioned what it means to invest and accept gifts ethically, and the Varsity Blues scandal generated community conversation and reflection about how fair the admissions process really is.
On the field, Bruno scored some victories. The women’s soccer team won the Ivy League title, and the football team earned its first conference victory in 1,099 days.
Our alums made strides, including Astronaut Jessica Meir ’99, who participated in the first all-female spacewalk in October. Others returned to campus including former Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley MA’72, who spoke at this year’s Ivy Film Festival.
Before we begin what is certain to be another momentous year, we want to thank you, our readers, for engaging with The Herald in 2019. Below are some of our most-read stories of the year:
- University accepts record-low 17.5 percent of early decision applicants
- Basketball star shares unique path to Brown
- University accepts record-low 6.6 percent applicants to class of 2023
- University sees record-high number of applicants for Class of 2023
- University suspends Sigma Chi fraternity
- University concerns prompt Sigma Chi fraternity to lose housing privileges
- Brown Concert Agency announces 2019 Spring Weekend lineup
- Calvelli ’19: Brown is hard. It should be harder.
- When Brown Students speak, the University should listen: A faculty letter in support of student activism
- University suspends Buxton House
Happy New Year!
Editors’ Notes are written by The Herald’s 130th editorial board: Colleen Cronin ’21, Allie Reed ’21, Sophie Culpepper ’21, Elise Ryan ’21 and Alex Smolar ’21
