With gusts of wind occasionally rumbling in the microphone, the Class of 2009 settled in on the Main Green Wednesday night to hear a laundry list of administrators, student leaders and alums welcome them to Brown.
Among the speakers was Dean of the College Paul Armstrong, who lectured on the philosophy of the University's open curriculum. Armstrong told first-years they were lucky to be at Brown, adding, "I had the misfortune of going to Harvard."
One of the principal designers of the New Curriculum, Ira Magaziner '69 P'06 P'07 was introduced as "a favorite son of Brown" by David Greene, vice president for campus life and student services. Magaziner, who currently chairs the HIV/AIDS Initiative at the Clinton Foundation, began by sharing his two sons' cell phone numbers and inviting first-years to free beer and pizza this week in their dorm rooms.
In his more serious remarks, Magaziner discussed the three qualities of good leaders: they have to take risks and thus have a few big failures in life; they have to have gotten people angry at themselves; and, quoting Jack Black, they "stick it to the man."
In addition to sharing a few stories from his time at Brown, including the time he sought to have a plane drop 20,000 ping-pong balls on the Main Green during Spring Weekend, Magaziner urged the first-years to work for change.
"You're all going to be parts of the establishment in some way - you all already are as far as the world is concerned. But a Brown student is not somebody who just celebrates themselves because they're part of the establishment," he said. "A Brown student is one who goes in and says, 'OK, how do I change the establishment, how do I make it better?' "
Though the first-years did end the night with a "Rah! Rah! Rah!" as the Brown Band accompanied them in a rendition of "Ever True to Brown," one conspicuous absence from the program was the traditional "best class ever" speech by the director of admission. Newly appointed Dean of Admission James Miller '73 started on the job Monday and attended but did not speak Wednesday night.
In his talk, Greene stressed the "simple community values (of) trust and respect."
"The richness of this community is fed by its diversity," Greene said. "But the reality is the diversity of this community also foments conflict - that's the nature of diversity."
Greene added, "We're a community passionate about a wide range of issues and tolerant of a full spectrum of ideas, even those that might offend - and I want you to hear that again - even those that might offend. That's an important part of being at Brown."
Greene also mentioned an e-mail he got Wednesday morning about some homophobic graffiti on the board of someone's door, calling it "not a harmless act" and "not acceptable."
Among the others welcoming the Class of 2009 were Associate Dean for Freshman Studies Armando Bengochea, Brian Bidadi '06 and Sarah Saxton-Frump '07, the president and vice president of the Undergraduate Council of Students, the organizers of the Orientation Welcoming Committee and three members of the class of 1984, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009.
