Opinions

Editorial: In a time of uncertainty, Brown’s Nobel Prize and MacArthur Grant should motivate University researchers

While research funding is under political scrutiny, the world needs reminding of what scholarship can achieve. Brown received two such reminders this month with the announcements that Professor Emeritus of Economics Peter Howitt won a Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences and Professor of International ...

Yeung ’29: Food for Thought: Bellini Providence

This past weekend was Family Weekend, and everyone knows what that means: fancy meals sponsored by your dad’s American Express. My brunch at Bellini Providence began with a short walk down College Hill. But after arriving, I felt like I had moved up in the world. The warm lights draw guests in, the ...

Manhardt ’26: How Brown’s many advisory committees amount to administrative gaslighting

When most undergraduate students think of Brown, we think of our professors, the Main Green, dining halls and, of course, our fellow Brunonians. It’s rarer that we concern ourselves with the politics of the faculty, with whom we typically interact through class or research. But Brown harbors an expansive ...

Letter: Response to Canfield ’28: David Caldwell is best positioned to represent Providence Ward 2

Murray ’29: I walked across Rhode Island — and you should too

Arriving back on campus after spending time away never fails to bring a smile to my face. But I have never been happier to see College Hill than when I finally caught sight of Brown after nine straight hours of walking.

Letter: Response to Edelson ’29: Being ‘ever true to Brown’ means attending athletics

To the Editor:

Letter from the Games Editor: Why you need the BDH mini

When I was in high school, a teacher once joked that the sole reason to pursue a liberal arts education was to be able to understand “The Simpsons,” with its never-ending references. There is some truth in that — but I think it’s even truer when applied to crossword puzzles. 

Canfield ’28: David Caldwell is best positioned to represent Providence Ward 2

I have always held a special place in my heart for local politics. Often not as partisan and certainly not as flashy as leaders in Washington, D.C., local politicians fulfill the true core of democratic government — public service. City government, at its best, ensures your neighborhoods stay clean, ...

Noxon ’27: National attention kills student movements

In many ways, it is the ultimate dream of a student movement to become the sparkplug for a national debate. The more a student movement is talked about, the more supporters it garners beyond the confines of a given campus, and logic seems to follow, the more likely the movement is to succeed. 

Gardiner ’28: Step outside of your comfort zone: I chose vegetarianism

“Why would you ever do that?”

Cheong ’27: Brown should stand up for fact-based public health

Nothing is more important than health. So when those in charge of national health care policy fail to do their job, it is a serious issue. President Trump and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have thus far failed to support America’s health. They’ve consistently attacked the scientific ...

Editors’ Note: Welcome to our home away from home

As orange and red hues brighten our campus quads, we are breaking sweaters out of the bottom of our dressers and preparing our best tour guide impersonations to welcome you — our loved ones — to College Hill.

Kaak ’29: Faculty engagement in student demonstrations is necessary for campus unity

Last week, while attending a protest calling on Brown to reject the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” I noticed one oddly familiar face among the crowd: my professor. Even hours later, I couldn’t get that sight out of my head — and for good reason. ...

Editors’ Note: On an amicus brief in support of The Stanford Daily

On Wednesday night, The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. joined 54 other student news organizations and newsroom leaders in signing an amicus curiae brief filed by the Student Press Law Center in support of The Stanford Daily in Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation et al. v. Rubio.

Editorial: Paxson’s rejection of the compact is a win for Brown and America

After two weeks of community input, faculty meetings and deliberation, President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 has rejected an invitation to join the federal government’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” The decision avoids dire consequences for the future of the University ...

Lindemann ’29: Go look at some art

The first thing I did after finishing my Advanced Placement U.S. Government and Politics exam my junior year of high school was drive to my local art museum with my best friend. After a tumultuous three-hour ordeal, we needed to look at some art. We wandered through the wings, talking about our favorite ...

Berkwits ’29: Consent doesn’t have to be scary

“No” has been a full sentence my entire life. For almost as long as I can remember, I have undergone consent training. This education began informally in elementary school, where I learned bodily autonomy and the basic tenet of keeping one’s hands to themselves. In fifth grade, these discussions ...

Azhar ’29: Friendship on College Hill shouldn’t come with terms and conditions

During the first few weeks at Brown, friendship feels like magic. You’re bonding over dorm room decor, midnight Josiah’s runs and shared confusion about Canvas. You say yes to every invitation, because why not? Every connection feels new and open. The stakes are low and the warmth feels real. Walk ...

Leggat-Barr ’28: Democrats can’t win by playing it safe

Democrats say we believe in democracy, but too often, we don’t practice it. Instead of trusting the voters, party leaders agonize endlessly about what every political ripple might mean for a swing voter in middle America, mistaking caution for strategy. Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee in the ...

Hudes ’27: Brown’s democratic gesture falls flat when democracy itself is on the line

The latest announcement from President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 about the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” frames the University’s next move as an open question. Paxson seeks to “hear from members of our community” before deciding how ...