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Opinions

The Undergraduate Council of Students: Echoing the need for sexual assault policy change

By The Undergraduate Council of Students | March 12

On the night of Oct. 17, two female Brown University students reported receiving a spiked drink at an unregistered fraternity party, and one of the two women reported being sexually assaulted later that night after leaving the party. In recent weeks, students standing in solidarity with the two women ...

Opinions

Isman '15: Why do lab results have the final say?

By Samantha Isman | March 12

The case of two female students who were allegedly served a drink laced with the date-rape drug GHB at a Phi Kappa Psi party this past October seemed to have a relatively straightforward situation: Two girls were served spiked drinks, and the alleged perpetrator should face the consequences. Yet months ...

Opinions

Editorial: A more data-driven curriculum

By Editorial Page Board | March 12

The open curriculum provides students with the freedom to pursue courses that speak to their interests and preferences. But it can also allow them to avoid courses in fields that are difficult, yet ultimately enriching, including data-driven curricula. A basic knowledge of statistics can inform one’s ...

Opinions

Raglow-Defranco P'15: A letter to the students of Brown University

By Stephen Raglow-Defranco | March 11

My daughter is a senior at Brown University, and she has enjoyed a wonderful experience and has taken advantage of every opportunity Brown has to offer. I couldn’t be prouder of her, and she does not need me to take care of her or protect her. So it has been a difficult decision for me to go ahead ...

Opinions

Editorial: Visual arts at a liberal arts institution

By Editorial Page Board | March 11

Over the past year, the University has made strides to expand the presence of performing arts on campus. Members of the Committee on Reimagining the Brown Campus and Community said last year that lack of performance space and collaboration with local groups has resulted in missed opportunities. The ...

Opinions

Editorial: Clear, calculated steps for a better Brown

By Editorial Page Board | March 10

Brown hosted its first National Diversity Summit this past weekend to “explore how higher education engages in the work of developing and sustaining an increasingly diverse and inclusive academic community,” according to an online description of the event. Organized by the Office of Institutional ...

Opinions

Byron '15, Gaines '16, Stewart '15, Yu '15: Money, power have no place in Brown’s procedures

By Katie Byron, Justice Gaines and Lauren Stewart | March 10

We are writing as undergraduate representatives on the Task Force on Sexual Assault. Our charge is to create “a safe and secure campus environment.” Fundamental to this, we are told, is protection against sexual assault. “Sexual assault cannot be tolerated on campus and must be addressed in the ...

Opinions

Letter: Brown should ban fraternities

By Brown Daily Herald | March 10

I have been reading with disgust and profound embarrassment the reports about the date-rape drug case at Phi Kappa Psi. While the controversy addresses many of the hot-button topics of the day involving privilege and the treatment of women, the discourse refuses to confront the most important issues ...

Opinions

Asker '17: Criticism of U. for canceling hearing unwarranted

By Nicholas Asker | March 10

In recent days, some criticism of the University for its handling of the case against a Phi Kappa Psi member accused of serving a drink that incapacitated the complainants has been warranted, and some not so much. The criticism launched by people behind the hashtag #MoneyTalksAtBrown, which suggests ...

Opinions

Ford '10: Understand the past, empower the future

By Stephen Ford | March 9

This past month, students across the country celebrated Black History Month. They read books by black authors, wrote research papers on civil rights activists, memorized Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech and watched videos about the Underground Railroad. And, if students are taught ...

Opinions

Editorial: Tangible progress in cybersecurity

By Editorial Page Board | March 9

Brown has demonstrated material progress in addressing the pervasive field of cybersecurity. On March 3, the faculty voted to approve the creation of an Executive Master’s Program in Cybersecurity — a decision that the Corporation must choose whether to approve at its May meeting. As previously ...

Opinions

Malik '18: Attempt to connect

By Ameer Malik | March 9

I am someone who is getting sick of technological advancements, especially because it seems to me that many new innovations are presented as if they are completely superior to older models. I remember watching an Apple commercial and getting angry: It started by showing the utility and ubiquity of a ...

Opinions

Al-Salem '17: Accent shouldn’t be a meter for intelligence

By Sara Al-Salem | March 6

I have never been a fan of classes that require attendance in section. There are usually too many students, awkward attempts by a recently graduated teaching assistant to create dialogue and that one student who thinks she or he is the voice of common sense. But I go to them anyway because a) I don’t ...

Opinions

Corvese '15: From PawSox to ProSox?

By Gabriella Corvese | March 6

I was never a big fan of watching baseball, whether on ESPN or in person — the endless innings bored me. But experiencing the sport at a historic stadium was always a spectacle worth beholding. Growing up in Rhode Island, I spent countless childhood summer days in the stands at McCoy Stadium, home ...

Opinions

Kenyon GS: Jeb Bush, the doobie brother?

By Ian Kenyon | March 5

Last weekend, I reviewed speeches from the annual Conservative Political Action Conference hosted by the American Conservative Union in Washington, D.C. While the 2016 presidential primaries are still more than a year in the distance, CPAC’s annual pep rally revealed two insights. First, it reinforced ...

Opinions

Secondo '16: Diving in

By Reid Secondo | March 5

Perhaps it’s the time of year when midterms make me introspectively moody, but my outlook has been blue recently. Especially as I navigate the Arctic tundra and gaze upon the undulating ocean of blue Canada Goose jackets occupying College Hill this winter, with the fur hood trims flapping like whitecaps ...

Opinions

Editorial: Too many academic resources, little organization

By Editorial Page Board | March 5

With the myriad of academic and extracurricular resources available at Brown, communication must exist among the various support systems in order to provide coherent, consistent advice. First-years typically receive an adviser — either a faculty member or a dean — along with a Meiklejohn peer adviser; ...

Opinions

Letter: A child left behind

By Brown Daily Herald | March 5

To the Editor: The recent article “Black R.I. students see high suspension rates” in the “Playground to Prison” series addresses a serious problem that the legislature in this state needs to address now. The writer quotes an ACLU report, “The School-to-Prison Pipeline in Black and White,” ...

Opinions

Editorial: Data: A common language for a better Brown

By Editorial Page Board | March 4

Updated March 18, 2015 at 2:00 a.m. At the beginning of the week the Brown community received an email from Dean of the College Maud Mandel and Vice President for Campus Life and Student Services Margaret Klawunn encouraging every student to fill out the "Enrolled Student Survey," designed by the Consortium ...

Opinions

Powers '15: Condemn abuse, not pedophiles

By Andrew Powers | March 4

At Brown, you can find students eagerly discussing the nuances of nearly any topic. Whether it’s Palestine, alcohol policy or the environment, it seems every student on campus always has an opinion to share. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, this is not the case when it comes to an issue as grave as ...