Opinions - The Brown Daily Herald

Opinions

Shashoua ’25, Abdelaziz ’25, Maffa ’25: CS TA unionization will improve democracy, institutional memory in our workplace

By Joseph Maffa, Ronnie Shashoua and Yasmine Abdelaziz | February 27

This week, undergraduate teaching assistants in Brown’s Department of Computer Science will vote to determine whether the Brown administration must legally recognize and bargain with our union, the Teaching Assistant Labor Organization. We are pursuing unionization because we believe in democracy, ...

Opinions

Affirmative action may be off the table soon — but legacy admissions are not the answer

By Editorial Page Board | February 26

With the Supreme Court poised to strike down race-conscious admissions, Brown is considering a number of alternative strategies to uphold student body diversity without affirmative action. Associate Provost for Enrollment Logan Powell, at a recent panel, suggested that the University rely on legacy ...

Opinions

Rahman ’26: College drinking culture is not normal. The national drinking age is to blame.

By Tasawwar Rahman | February 24

In his column, Tas Rahman ’26 argues that lowering the drinking age would improve college students’ relationship with alcohol.

Opinions

Fang ’26: Low-impact, low-intensity workouts can have a high reward

By Juliet Fang | February 23

In her column, Juliet Fang ’26 argues that we should recognize the benefits of low-impact and low-intensity exercise that might be viewed as inferior to more rigorous activities.

Opinions

Collins ’23.5: In limbo: Participating in Commencement as a 0.5er and cancer survivor

By Elon Collins | February 23

As a result of commencement policies that need to be revised, I have been barred from fully participating in what should be one of the happiest ...

Opinions

Aizenberg '26: Brown should increase its acceptance rate. Here’s why.

By Benjamin Aizenberg | February 22

Let’s go through a quick exercise — I will describe two students and you decide which one deserves to get into Brown. Student A scored a 1550 on her SAT, earned a 3.95 ...

Opinions

Sender ’25: One Rhode Island town tried to guide its own development. The state should listen to residents, not private interests.

By Gabriel Sender | February 21

Set on Point Judith in the town of Narragansett, the picturesque community of Galilee is currently engaged in a battle over the future of its sizable harbor, a fight which could have far-reaching consequences. The small village of just 3,400 is one of the most important economic centers in the state ...

Opinions

Wooten ’24: What ‘Abbott Elementary’ taught me about AP African American Studies, Black educational equity

By Jada Wooten | February 16

In her op-ed, Jada Wooten ’24 explains why she does not engage with articles regarding Florida’s AP African American Studies controversy, but still cares deeply about Black educational equity.

Opinions

Slusarewicz ’23: Make journaling fun again — it’s worth the effort

By Megan Slusarewicz | February 15

In her column, Megan Slusarewicz ’23 argues that by making journaling more fun as adults, we can reap its mental health benefits.

Opinions

Gaber ’23: Nerd culture should include feminine interests

By Yasmeen Gaber | February 14

A couple weeks ago, I was talking with a friend about my sister’s love for Star Wars and my brother’s passion for Marvel comics. My friend turned to me and said, “So you’re the only non-nerd in your family.” I grappled with that for a second before I understood what she meant. As a perennial ...

Opinions

Editorial: DPS must give students timely and detailed updates about threats to campus safety

By Editorial Page Board | February 14

On December 4, Brown’s Department of Public Safety arrested Thony Greene, a man with a history of trespassing on University property, for allegedly invading students’ rooms in Wayland House. Greene, who has no affiliation with the University, has since been charged with willful trespass and breaking ...

Opinions

Wellisch ’26: News has no place on TikTok

By Yael Wellisch | February 12

In her column, Yael Wellisch ’26 argues that the news on TikTok desensitizes us and isolates us from the world.

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Opinions

Editorial: UCS needs to be a serious voice for students

By Editorial Page Board | February 10

In their editorial, the editorial page board exhorts UCS to be a better voice for students — not just a platform for political theater.

Opinions

Fang ’26: Students and universities need to do more to curb food waste

By Juliet Fang | February 7

We’ve all been there: the Sharpe Refectory’s having a themed dinner night, and there are so many options to choose from. You visit the comforts line, soup kettles and dessert bar until suddenly you look down at your towering plate of food and realize you’ve taken far too much. You eat what you ...

Opinions

Sender ’25: Brown must focus on preserving what it already has

By Gabriel Sender | February 6

Brown has a tremendous wealth of historic buildings that make its campus one of the country’s most beautiful. This does not come without a cost: These buildings require intensive maintenance that cannot be deferred without serious consequences. Even a century ago, this issue was well understood, when ...

Opinions

Vanderpool ’24: Reclaiming our student democracy means voting ‘yes’ on the recall

By Christopher Vanderpool | February 5

An election to recall Undergraduate Council of Students President Ricky Zhong ’23, finally, is imminent. As this election begins, there are two topics I’d like to address: why I helped organize this recall, and what it can accomplish.

Opinions

Editorial: Shopping period can be hectic and stressful. Professors should keep that in mind

By Editorial Page Board | February 2

In their editorial, the editorial page board urges faculty members to consider the student experience when planning assignments during shopping period.

Opinions

Rahman ’26: Universities have a responsibility to safeguard academic freedom

By Tasawwar Rahman | February 2

The United States is home to many of the world’s leading universities due, in large part, to its culture of free inquiry. Increasingly, this culture has been eroded as universities neglect their unwritten obligation to safeguard academic freedom. We ought to do more to protect the diversity of views ...

Opinions

Gaber ’23: Homelessness is a troubling result of the housing crisis, not a public nuisance

By Yasmeen Gaber | February 1

One of the most obvious yet unspoken aspects of our community on College Hill (and across the United States) is the ongoing issue of homelessness. Within the Brown community and in cities across the U.S., there is a collective attitude of wariness, fear and outright disdain towards people experiencing ...

Opinions

Slusarewicz ’23: In Adderall shortage, unprescribed use harms ADHD patients

By Megan Slusarewicz | February 1

My attention deficit hyperactivity disorder shapes many of my behaviors and thought processes on a daily basis. I often impulsively speak in class before raising my hand, become bored easily — even writing this column is difficult. But my experience is far less severe than those of many others.