Opinions

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Rahman ’26: Universities cannot pick and choose what identities matter

By Tasawwar Rahman | February 24

In 1928, Brown had a problem. Despite its reputation as a finishing school for white elites from the East Coast, 38% of the class of 1928 was Jewish. These young men were largely the sons of Russian Jewish immigrants and hailed from public schools, which was considered a real shonda — a scandal — ...

Letter: Response to Lindemann ’29: Chants to do away with the police don’t belong at anti-ICE protests

By Dakota Pippins | February 23

To the Editor:

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Editorial: Ditch Canvas — bring back the printed course reader

By Editorial Page Board | February 20

Digital devices have become an essential part of learning. We use laptops and tablets to do our readings, take notes and write code. But they can also distract from our learning: While one tab may hold a PDF, another might offer a temptation to text, scroll or shop. In 2015 and 2024, the editorial page ...

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Edelson ’29: NARPs are the lifeline Brown athletics needs

By Clay Edelson | February 19

It’s no secret that Brown athletic events have abysmal student attendance. After a basketball game at the Pizzitola Sports Center last spring, The Daily Pennsylvanian took note of “Brown’s home crowd, or lack thereof.” Brown’s poor athletic attendance has officially become cemented as part ...

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Lindemann ’29: Chants to do away with the police don’t belong at anti-ICE protests

By Beatriz Lindemann | February 18

A few weeks ago, I attended a rally in protest of the violence in Minneapolis enacted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The protest began in front of The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library and was organized by Brown Rise Up, Sunrise Brown, the Deportation Defense Network and the ...

Mooney ’29: Make Thayer weird again

By Max Mooney | February 18

Mobee’s Music World, Pie in the Sky, EG Photography, Anime Crash. I’d bet most of these names are unfamiliar to you. Just a few decades ago, however, Brown students walked past these stores every day. In 2000, Thayer Street was filled with an eclectic mix of locally-owned businesses: vinyl and CD ...

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Serrano: When it comes to taking courses S/NC, students could benefit from guardrails

By Roberto Serrano | February 17

One of the gems in the crown of Brown’s Open Curriculum is the Satisfactory/No Credit grading option. It helps to foster creative exploration of courses far afield from a student’s main interest, and can embolden students to take courses that they would not otherwise attempt. However, S/NC does ...

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Opinions

Dissent: Rent stabilization will not fix Providence’s housing crisis

By Avery Kaak , Beatriz Lindemann, Isabella Gardiner, Ethan Canfield and Tasawwar Rahman | February 13

The editorial page board has identified the obvious: Providence faces a cost-of-living crisis that is harming working and middle-class families. They have aptly noted that the state places last in new housing development, and have commended the City Council’s push for rent stabilization as a way out ...

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Opinions

Editorial: Providence’s housing crisis demands the immediate action proposed by the rent stabilization ordinance

By Editorial Page Board | February 13

Currently, Providence residents are struggling to afford their rent. When our city is faced with a problem as severe as unaffordable housing, political action which aims to protect citizens’ ability to stay in their homes ought to be encouraged. On Jan. 22, a majority of the Providence City Council ...

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Opinions

Gupta ’25 MD’29: True love doesn’t have to be romantic

By Anusha Gupta | February 13

Every Feb. 14, the world narrows to prix fixe menus, a CVS aisle swathed in pink and the panic of trying to secure a reservation somewhere dimly lit enough. Love, we are told, is happening at a two-top.

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Opinions

Leggat-Barr ’28: Brown should rescue the Superman building

By Tommy Leggat-Barr | February 12

Rising above the Providence skyline sits a familiar beacon, visible from College Hill night after night: the Superman building. Once one of the nation’s most prominent office towers, the skyscraper has sat mostly vacant since Bank of America relocated its headquarters in 2013, 85 years after the building’s ...

Opinions

Yeung ’29: Food for Thought: Otra

By Christian Yeung | February 12

Last Tuesday night, a last-minute visit by my parents provided the perfect opportunity to try a new eater in town — the Iberian tapas bar Otra on South Main Street. The restaurant, which opened in 2022, had been on my list for a few weeks.

Opinions

Ahmed ’27: Study abroad should be taken seriously

By Shayyan Ahmed | February 11

Before I transferred to Brown, I went to a business school in Madrid. I remember running into American college students every now and then, at the bar or a cafe, traveling in packs. Whenever I asked them about how they’re enjoying Spain, they would respond back with a mishmash of experiences involving ...

Opinions

Tao ’27: Rhode Island is giving up on climate

By Evan Tao | February 10

It’s been almost five years since Rhode Island passed the ambitious Act on Climate, a seminal piece of legislation setting mandatory incremental goals to bring the state’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. But today, the prospect of reaching those goals looks bleak. The state’s public transit ...

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Berkwits ’29: Collective effervescence is present on Brown’s campus. Let’s foster it

By Talia Berkwits | February 10

The term “collective effervescence” was coined by sociologist Émile Durkheim in his 1912 book "Elementary Forms of Religious Life." It is the unity formed when people are engaged in a shared purpose. It is the sensation when individuality comes second to collectivity. It is the feeling of dancing ...

An illustration showing three students holding candles in front of a memorial at the Van Wickle Gates.

Opinions

Letter: Response to Dec. 13 mass shooting

By Mia Tretta | February 9

To The Editor:

Opinions

Vishwakarma ’29: Unlock the ‘hidden curriculum’ with Today@Brown

By Arya Vishwakarma | February 9

It’s no secret that Brown students arrive on campus with different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. With 60% of the student body coming from families in the top 10% of incomes, the student body is undeniably divided. One of the most important factors in a student’s transition to Brown is ...

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Opinions

Editorial: Brown’s workforce development grants are an opportunity to invest in the future of R.I. education

By Editorial Page Board | February 6

Last week, Brown announced the distribution of the first $3 million of the $50 million in workforce development grants the University agreed to pay in its July agreement with the federal government. $1.5 million of the initial grants will go toward the Community College of Rhode Island to increase the ...

Opinions

The Philosophy Concentrator with Avery Kaak ’29: Are international students obligated to protest?

By Avery Kaak | February 6

This is the first installment of “The Philosophy Concentrator” — a series where Avery Kaak ’29 responds to the Brown community’s ethical dilemmas. Please submit your queries here.

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Opinions

Aizenberg ’26: Call your grandparents

By Benjamin Aizenberg | February 5

Calling your grandparents is beneficial for both you and them.

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