Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.

Opinions

Opinions

Tobias '12: No, Brown should not have required classes

"The various courses should be so arranged that, in so far as it is practicable, every student might study what he chose, all that he chose, and nothing but what he chose." These words, stated in 1850 by Francis Wayland, Brown's fourth president, have been the foundation for academics at Brown for more ...


Opinions

McGoldrick '12: Rebuttal

First, I concede Ethan Tobias' point that free choice can be a powerful psychological tool for creating positive motivation and a sense of ownership over one's education. Brown should be applauded for treating its students as mature adults. That was a significant factor in my decision to enroll here. ...


Opinions

Editorial: Don't bet on it, Rhode Island

On March 5, an 81-year-old Newport woman embraced her son and daughter-in-law in sheer, uncontrollable delight. In her frail but resolute hand, she grasped the winning ticket for the Powerball jackpot, valued at $336.4 million. Louise White, now a millionaire, is in the midst of reformulating her plans ...


Opinions

Tobias'12: Rebuttal

McGoldrick for thinking that two or three required courses might enhance a Brown education. Certainly, her example courses would be very valuable for some first-years. However, the question at stake is whether Brown should award degrees to students who have not completed certain required coursework. ...


Opinions

University offers support too freely

To the Editor: Marisa Quinn, vice president for public affairs and University relations, troubles me in her quote in Monday's Herald about Gilbane Development Corporation's proposal for luxury apartments on Thayer Street ("New student apartments proposed for Thayer," March 19). She implies that Brown ...


Opinions

Kalyanpur '13: Why commit to a concentration?

As the concentration declaration deadline nears, there is a familiar buzz surrounding the sophomore class. With only two weeks to go, many students are scurrying about looking for an adviser to casually sign off on their forms. Unfortunately, convenience frequently trumps serious reflection. Our declaration ...


Opinions

Johnson '14: Hope in POLS 1130

Watching the news these days tends to fill me with pure, unadulterated cynicism. Nobody in government agrees on anything, except for the fact that the system in Washington, and Providence, is broken. In a country where Occupiers scream, Rush Limbaugh calls law students sluts and Angel Taveras makes ...


Opinions

Editorial: Pricing us out at the Providence Journal

If you've perused the Providence Journal's website recently, you may have noticed that the articles seem shorter than they used to be. Links on the front page often lead to articles of just one or two paragraphs, many reprinted from the Associated Press. In-depth analysis, multipage exposes and regular ...


Opinions

Letter: Bookstore opposes sweatshop labor

To the Editor: An article in Friday's Herald ("Teach-in calls for end to sweatshop purchases," March 15) correctly recognized the University's early national leadership in the drive to end sweatshop labor in the production of university apparel. For that, thank you. Brown was indeed a founding member ...


Opinions

Editorial: War on women arrives in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is currently considering a bill that would require physicians not only to perform an ultrasound on women before performing an abortion but also to display and describe the ultrasound's images. It is already Rhode Island law for a woman to undergo an ultrasound before an abortion in order ...


Opinions

Husted '13: Why I hate smartphones

I confess that I do not own a smartphone. I am a member of a dying breed of regular phone users, and my sin does not go without punishment. This summer I went into a store to replace my old phone, which I purchased in 2007, and was ridiculed by the store clerk when I pointed to the "new" phone that ...


Opinions

Enzerink GS: The dual soul of Brown

Brown has traditionally been an institution that acknowledges the value of both undergraduate and graduate education but values even more the ways in which the two can complement and enhance each other. The College and the Graduate School are the perfect Hegelian synthesis, together adding up to more ...


Opinions

Larson: The engineering program allows flexibility

Matt Brundage '15 asked a very good question in Thursday's column ("Why aren't there more engineers?" March 15). I've been an engineer for over 30 years, and I honestly can't imagine doing anything else. "Engineers create the future" is a well-known saying, and what could be more fun and fulfilling ...




Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2026 The Brown Daily Herald, Inc.