The U.S. News and World Report college rankings are a subject of scorn for most Brown students. Unable to believe that we're the "worst" Ivy (yes, Cornell was a spot above us this year), we fulminate about how the rankings overweigh endowment size and ignore Brown's unique academic philosophy. So we ...
According to the College Sustainability Report Card released earlier this month, Brown is about as eco-friendly as universities get. Consider some of the initiatives that contributed to our A-minus grade this year. We've committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 42 percent below 2007 levels ...
Brown made the grade for the second consecutive year, scoring an A-minus on the College Sustainability Report, an assessment of environmental practices at hundreds of colleges. Brown's grade was set back slightly by the B's it received in two categories: Administration and Endowment Transparency. Regarding ...
Last Monday, a motley crew of kooks and food vendors, watched by a handful of bemused students, gathered on the Main Green to protest the University's renaming of Columbus Day as Fall Weekend. The congregation was heralded by an ingeniously postmodern flier campaign that omitted outmoded, deterministic ...
We don't generally have a high opinion of harsh underage drinking laws. Students under 21 have, and always will, get away with flouting them, and harsh penalties for this behavior can have disastrous consequences. Arrests for even minor infractions can destroy students' chances of being admitted to ...
Brown's administration, like any other, has its successes and its failures, and it deserves to be congratulated for the creation and continued improvement of the Target of Opportunity hiring program.
Cooler weather and midterms signal that the fall semester is now well underway. As students' memories of a hectic shopping period and expensive textbook purchases start to fade, we would like to remind faculty members of an important matter of principle: No Brown professor should profit from the book ...
There is no question that Brown could use more money. Over the past several weeks, The Herald has reported huge losses in the endowment, suspension of scholarships and the removal of academic support programs. But regardless of the financial state of the University, the chance to save money is no excuse ...
This fall the number of Brown students studying abroad sunk to 199, down from 220 last fall. The University reported a more pronounced decrease in study abroad figures for the spring — 268 students went abroad last semester compared with 366 in the spring of 2008. In light of the downward trend, ...
A new project to help revitalize Providence is in the works, and we have a chance to be a part of it. Next month, the Metro Transit Study Working Group will announce a proposal for a streetcar system to augment the existing public transportation routes in central Providence. The group's conclusions ...
It is unfortunate that only two of 200 undergraduate TAs attended the first installment of a four-part workshop series recently organized by the Office of the Dean of the College in conjunction with the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning. The Herald reported Thursday that the optional workshops ...
Once again, Rhode Island is wading into muddy waters. In May the General Assembly approved a law mandating that the health department establish privately run medical cannabis dispensaries; the first is scheduled to open next year. Rhode Island would be only the third state to enact such a law, and it ...
Two years ago, the University Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice recommended that the University build a public memorial to commemorate Brown and Rhode Island's ties to the slave trade. The Herald reported Friday that the University's Public Arts Committee is considering placing the memorial ...
Anyone who walks by the Main Green this week during the day is likely to be confronted by a slew of blown-up photographs depicting the graphic details of violence done to animals. These images are juxtaposed with shots of similar types of harm being done to people in the context of famous historical ...
Cutting-edge research and first-rate teaching are the foundations of any university. But the two don't always come together. A brilliant professor is not always a brilliant teacher— the best scholars can leave students confused, frustrated or falling asleep during lectures. Unfortunately, these ...
An encouraging new force has emerged in local politics. Last month, the Moderate Party of Rhode Island received official certification after turning in over 30,000 supporters' signatures, well beyond the required 23,500. The party's ambitious short-term goal is to put forward a candidate for the governorship ...
The political firestorm surrounding the group known as ACORN came to a head last week when both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to cut off federal funding for the organization. ACORN (which stands for the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now) faced ...
Banner's critics usually moan about its appearance and its restrictions on course signups. It's a tribute to Banner's effectiveness, or perhaps its unsightliness, that the most common complaints are aesthetic. These grievances are a little misdirected: Students have usually been able to find courses ...
Tonight's speech by former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is an opportunity. Musharraf, who came to power in a coup in 1999 and held on to power until his resignation amidst impeachment threats in 2008, is one of the most significant and controversial figures in contemporary international politics. ...
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