Opinions

Photo of two individuals standing embracing each other from the side as they look at bouquets of flowers in front of the Van Wickle Gates.

Editors’ Note: Ever true

By 136th Editorial Board | December 16

On Saturday, two Brunonians were killed. Nine others were hospitalized. Although there are no words that can heal our community’s immense grief, we send endless love to the families and friends of those lost and wish the students still recovering a swift return to good health.

Gupta ’25 MD’29: How to escape being consumed by a crush

By Anusha Gupta | December 8

There are many perfectly reasonable fixations at Brown: The campus turkey that always shows up just in time for finals, the endless supply of sugary cereal, the wildly cool professor who you are convinced might just be the smartest person in the world.

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Editors’ Note: A heartfelt thank you for the lessons we’ve learned at 88 Benevolent

By 135th Editorial Board | December 5

The weekend before our first night of production as the new editorial board, we took it upon ourselves to usher in a slate of new changes — rearranging dusty couches and furniture, installing our neon “135” sign and adorning the walls of 88 Benevolent St. with a collection of freshly printed photos. ...

Editors’ Note: Announcing The Herald’s 136th Editorial Board

By 135th Editorial Board | December 5

The Herald is proud to announce the members of its 136th Editorial Board, which will oversee the paper through its 135th year.

A picture of The Herald's 136th Editorial Board.

Edelson ’29: We should be more thankful

By Clay Edelson | December 5

Last week, Brunonians traveled far and wide to observe Thanksgiving, a holiday celebrating family, food and gratitude. Every year, when the day rolls around, my family embarks on a special tradition to give thanks: We go around the dinner table and share one physical thing, one person and one aspect ...

Canfield ’28: The costs of cuts to foreign aid

By Ethan Canfield | December 5

While testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that “no one has died” because of funding cuts to the United States Agency for International Development, a claim that the Trump White House has continuously pushed to defend its overhaul of American ...

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Editorial: Brown and RISD should pursue deeper integration

By Editorial Page Board | December 5

As neighbors on College Hill, Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design are natural partners for collaboration. Brown is a leading Ivy League research university, and RISD is the nation’s premier art school. Capitalizing on these strengths, our universities share an undergraduate dual-degree program, ...

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Gardiner ’28: Why Brown should stop discarding admissions records

By Isabella Gardiner | December 4

As the next generation of Brunonians walks through the Van Wickle Gates, these students may be left wondering how they ended up on College Hill. But that’s not a question any of us can completely answer. The journey an application takes from the Common Application portal to an acceptance letter is ...

Photograph of the Bear Statue on the campus

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Lindemann ’29: The key to intentionality is analog living

By Beatriz Lindemann | December 4

Almost every weekend, I walk past groups of friends snapping photos together before a night out, taking bursts of nearly identical shots. I often find myself in the same situation, posing for hundreds of pictures for the perfect Instagram post. You then overanalyze each photo, trying to find one that ...

An illustration of someone taking a picture with a camera that has a very bright flash.

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Berkwits ’29: It’s time for Brown’s plastic silverware to go

By Talia Berkwits | December 2

As soon as meal times approach, hoards of students can be found across campus munching on Ivy Room salmon bowls, grabbing a Blue Room salad or slurping pho from Andrews Commons. All of these dining options have one thing in common: They are served with a side of plastic silverware. Every day, Brown ...

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Manhardt ’26: President Paxson’s $3.1 million salary is not that inconceivable

By Batisse Manhardt | December 2

In 2023, President Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 was paid $3.1 million, a noticeable 74% increase from her 2022 total compensation. Some students have expressed anger toward this figure — understandably so. With talks of budget deficits and freezes over the past few years, it’s easy to conflate Paxson’s ...

Photo of University Hall, where Brown University administrative offices are located.

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Leggat-Barr ’28: It’s our fault our politics lack principles

By Tommy Leggat-Barr | December 2

“Have you heard about the new Marjorie Taylor Greene?” resounds across the Thanksgiving table. Immediately capturing my attention, I looked up from a filled plate and the conversation that I had been half-listening to beside me. My well-meaning aunt continued on explaining Greene’s reconciliatory ...

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Rahman ’26: Economic populism offers campaign wins, not solutions

By Tasawwar Rahman | November 30

During my 9th-grade student council election, I campaigned in a crowded field with a simple promise: an end-of-year school-sponsored trip to Cedar Point. Needless to say, I won in a landslide. Though well-intended, it became clear to me that I had overpromised and underdelivered. Voter backlash was ...

Vertical image of the Rhode Island City Hall on a cloudy day.

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Vishwakarma ’29: Skipping college for a white-collar job can’t end well

By Arya Vishwakarma | November 30

“Skip the debt. Skip the indoctrination. Get the Palantir degree.”

The Center of Information Technology with a student walking toward it.

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Noxon ’27: Brown needs to reclaim the legacy of semiotics

By Oscar Noxon | November 25

Once upon a time, there was a program at Brown called semiotics. Robert Scholes, an English professor, was hired to teach at Brown in 1970, arriving on College Hill to discover a “campus whose openness to new lines of teaching and research would make it the perfect incubator for these new ideas,” ...

The side of Brown University's John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library

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Editors’ Note: What we’re thankful for

By 135th Editorial Board | November 24

So many fresh faces at 88 Benevolent and the dedicated staff who have stuck with us through a year of challenging coverage.

A picture of The Herald's 135th Editorial Board, standing in front of a sign that reads "Brown Daily Herald!"

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Cheong ’27: Brown needs an expanded on-campus housing requirement

By Daniel Cheong | November 24

Off-campus apartments offer an attractive option for juniors and seniors looking for better housing. Some, such as 257 Thayer St. and 21 Euclid Ave., offer private bathrooms, modern kitchens and even gyms and fire pits that no residence hall could realistically compete with. But as more undergraduates ...

A bird's-eye view of a Providence housing area.

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VP Poitevien ’94 MD’98: Equitable access is foundational to enabling students to thrive at Brown

By Patricia Poitevien | November 24

This summer, when I began my new role as Brown’s vice president for campus life, I shared with students and families that my sense of belonging at Brown was formed in my residence hall. My first-year floormate and I came from entirely different worlds, yet the community we built together shaped my ...

Students scattered among a green quad with dormitory housing surrounding it.

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Azhar ’29: Why we love victimless crime

By Dua Azhar | November 24

When news broke of the recent heist at the Louvre — a meticulously executed theft that felt straight out of a movie — the internet’s reaction was oddly celebratory. Commentators joked about “modern Robin Hoods,” meme accounts praised the thieves’ taste and TikToks romanticized stealing from ...

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Mooney ’29: Brown must treat student food insecurity as the crisis that it is

By Max Mooney | November 24

On Oct. 1, the federal government shut down, halting federal programs and services across the country and partially freezing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits starting at the beginning of November. In a typical month in 2024, SNAP helped 41 million low-income Americans afford a healthy ...

Illustration of 4 people sitting at a table that is placed atop a green silhouette of the state of Rhode Island with a blue background.