The Bruno Brief

In 1950, the modern Spring Weekend was born and the Brown Concert Agency was founded in 1960, tasked with bringing up-and-coming artists to campus. In honor of Spring Weekend's 75th anniversary this Saturday, The Herald took a look back at the artists who defined past Spring Weekends by analyzing Billboard charts, Grammy awards and more. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com.Music courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304681Soothe: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/315699Sunday Lights: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/315700

At least nine grants awarded to Brown researchers, totaling over $8 million, have been terminated since Trump took office, freezing studies in their tracks and leaving some participants without treatment. Affected researchers told The Herald they had to lay off some staff from their studies. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com.Music:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304681The Maison: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/313226

If you've ever ventured off of College Hill to Providence Place Mall, you've likely seen packs of high schoolers roaming between stores. But recent crackdowns on mall security take aim at large groups and unaccompanied minors, as well as horseplay and dress code.  In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com.Music:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304681Our Only Lark by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

Over the past two months, numerous federal data sets related to public health and the environment have been removed from government websites. But some professors have been trying to save the data before it is scrubbed. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com.Music:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304681Frank and Poet: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304762

Recently, local businesses and consumers may have noticed inflated egg prices. These come amid a nationwide shortage of eggs caused by a national outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. The bird flu has killed more than 30 million birds this year, according to the March 7 U.S. Department of Agriculture's Egg Markets Overview. Many Providence egg establishments have been forced to raise prices and adjust their offerings, and some consumers report shifting their purchasing and eating habits in response. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com.Music:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304681Frank and Poet: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304762

The Rhode Island Department of Health released an interactive dashboard displaying the location of lead pipes across the state. Out of all the counties in Rhode Island, Providence has the highest percentage of lead pipes. There are even some lead pipes connected to Brown's very own Sciences Library. But does it pose a risk to students? In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com.Music:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304681Frank and Poet: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304762 

In this episode of the Bruno Brief, editor Jacob Smollen talks about his reporting on the little-discussed collection of books from Hitler's personal library at Brown's John Hay Library. Most were donated nearly 40 years ago, but why do they matter today? Or, maybe they don't.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.

In the third and final episode of Pandas on Ice, BDH Studios catches up with the Pandas at their reunion and hears about the legacy of the inaugural team today.

At a Monday night vigil for Hisham Awartani last week, students shouted President Christina Paxson '19 P'MD'20 off the stage, calling for University divestment from companies affiliated with Israel and weapons manufacturing. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story as well as filling you in on other important stories from the week.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Music:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 McCarthy: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210992 

In the second episode of The Herald's new podcast series “Pandas On Ice,”  podcast editor and metro editor Jacob Smollen speaks with former Pembroke Pandas to tell the story of how the first intercollegiate women's ice hockey team in the country became a national powerhouse.Subscribe to BDH Studios on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. 

In this episode of the Bruno Brief, Tom Li and Ciara Meyer discuss their reporting on recent arrests and student activism at the Rhode Island School of Design surrounding the school's relationship with Textron.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Music Credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 

In the first episode of The Herald's new podcast series “Pandas On Ice,”  podcast editor and metro editor Jacob Smollen speaks with former Pembroke Pandas to tell the story of how the first intercollegiate women's ice hockey team in the country came to be.  Subscribe to BDH Studios on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. Pandas on Ice is produced in partnership with WBRU. Photo courtesy of Nancy SchieffelinMusic:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 Taoudella: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/215432 Borough: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/215433 Dorica Theme: Dorica https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/215434 Palms Down: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/212466 

On Wednesday evening, The Department of Public Safety arrested 20 student Jewish students who had begun a sit-in at University Hall that afternoon. The students had refused to willingly leave the building until President Christina Paxson '19 P'MD'20 publicly committed to “include and support a divestment resolution in the next meeting of the Brown Corporation,” according to their demands. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about this story and fill  you in on other important stories from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 McCarthy: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210992

Ahead of this weekend's Ivy League women's soccer tournament, Bruno Brief podcast producer Carter Moyer speaks with Nicholas Miller, senior staff writer, about the program's continued success over the last four years. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Music Credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 Palms Down: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/212396

In the third episode of The Herald's new podcast series, “On The Green,” podcast producer and contributing writer Jaanu Ramesh and Tevah Gevelber, podcast producer and staff writer, talk to fellow Brunonians about the stories behind their favorite photos at Brown.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. “On The Green” is produced in partnership with WBRU. Music Credits:Hakodate Line: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/209076A Pleasant Strike: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210993 Dust Digger: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210994 Palms Down: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/212466 

Artist Heather McMordie launched the Providence Community Herbarium project to explore the relationships twelve Providence residents have with plants. Weaving these stories with artwork and local ecology, this initiative has fostered community as well as appreciation for plant life beyond scientific analysis. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important stories from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 McCarthy: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210992 Bauxite: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210991 

In the second episode of The Herald's new podcast series, “On The Green,” senior staff writer and podcast producer Mikayla Kennedy talks to fellow Brunonians about how they met their best friends and partners.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. “On The Green” is produced in partnership with WBRU. Music Credits:Hakodate Line: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/209076A Pleasant Strike: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210993 Dust Digger: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/210994 

In the 2023 fiscal year, Brown's endowment grew 2.7% to a value of $6.6 billion as of June 30. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of how Brown's endowment works and fill you in on other important stories from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. Music Credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 McCarthy: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/209942

In the first episode of The Herald's new podcast series, “On The Green,” contributing writers and producers Maya Kelly '27 and Rohey Jasseh '27 talk to fellow Brunonians about their first years on College Hill. How were their experiences in communal bathrooms? What were their favorite memories?Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. “On The Green” is produced in partnership with WBRU. Hakodate Line: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/209076The Crisper: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/209590 A Pleasant Strike: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/209547

The Herald conducted polling this summer to get a clearer picture of the class of 2027. Now, we analyze the data to get a picture of admissions, exploring test-optional policies, legacy impacts and the influence of athlete status on getting into Brown. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we'll dive into this data as well as filling you in on other important stories from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Music credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 Plate Glass: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/208105 

Community Coordinators rallied on the Main Green this Tuesday requesting the University to voluntarily recognize their proposed union. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important news from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Editors' Note: On Friday, Vice President for Campus Life Eric Estes informed the Labor Organization of Community Coordinators that the University was prepared to recognize the proposed union pending a check of authorization cards, The Herald previously reported. This podcast was recorded before that news broke.Music Credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 Bauxite: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/206800 

Woonsocket Middle School has been closed for 14 years, but developers are working to breathe new life into the school and transform it into approximately 150 apartments. The project is just one of the new adaptive reuse projects underway in Rhode Island as developers work to repurpose unused buildings such as old schools and factories to address the state's housing crisis. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story and fill you in on other important news from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Music Credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 

Following years of student activism, Brown has officially launched the Critical Native American and Indigenous Studies concentration, which will see its first graduating students this spring. The concentration was part of five commitments adopted by the University in May 2022 alongside its official land acknowledgement statement. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story, and fill you in on other important news from the week. Music Credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 Our only Lark: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142

While Health Services has offered emergency and prescription contraceptives for over a decade, until recently students had to pay for or use their insurance in order to attain them. But, per a recent announcement, over the counter emergency contraceptives with be available for free at Health Services's on-campus pharmacy. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we learn more about the details of this story as well as filling you in on other important stories from the week. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU.Music Credits:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/203142 Our Only Lark Hakodate Line (piano lead) 

In the finale of The Bruno Brief's series on myths at Brown, Finn Kirkpatrick and Elysee Barakett discuss their reporting on the history of marijuana at the University. Though the National Institute on Drug Abuse found in 2020 that 44% of American college students used marijuana in the last year, Brown has gained the reputation of being a “stoner” school. Is this title earned? Where did it come from? What is happening on campus now?Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. Music:Denzel Sprak by Blue Dot Sessionshttps://www.sessions.blueCrumpet by Blue Dot Sessions https://www.sessions.blueOur Only Lark by Blue Dot Sessions https://www.sessions.blue

In the fifth episode of The Bruno Brief's series on myths at Brown, Producers Elysee Barakett and Samantha Renzulli talk about their reporting on happiness at the University. Brown is ranked by the Princeton Review as the 10th happiest campus in the country and the happiest school in the Ivy League, and has a general reputation for being the “Happy Ivy.” But why does Brown have this reputation? Is it really true? Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. Listen to last week's episode about the way income impacts students' experiences at Brown here.KeoKeo by Blue Dot Sessions https://www.sessions.blueDenzel Sprak by Blue Dot Sessions https://www.sessions.blueOur Only Lark by Blue Dot Sessions https://www.sessions.blueHakodate Line by Blue Dot Sessions  https://www.sessions.blueFour Cluster by Blue Dot Sessions https://www.sessions.blue

In the fourth episode of The Bruno Brief's series on myths at Brown, Matias Gersberg speaks with fellow Bruno Brief producer Carter Moyer about some of the ways in which class impacts social life, academics and admissions on College Hill.Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. 

In the third episode of The Bruno Brief's series on myths at Brown, Producer Carter Moyer speaks with Jacob Smollen, Bruno Brief and Metro editor, about his reporting on Brown's left-leaning reputation. Subscribe to The Bruno Brief on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. 

In the second episode of the Bruno Brief's series on myths at Brown, Producer Sonya McNatt speaks with Finn Kirkpatrick, Arts & Culture editor and Bruno Brief editor, about his reporting on the now closed-off tunnels that run underneath Brown's campus and Providence's East Side. What's the deal with these tunnels? What are their histories? And what's their status today? Subscribe to The Bruno Brief on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. Clarification: This podcast has been updated to add additional information about safety conditions inside tunnels and guidance surrounding them.Sources:Brown Daily Herald — March 15, 2007 Archeology of College Hill and Brown UniversityThe New Yorker: “Peculiar Institutions”Encyclopedia BrunonianaNew York Times: “Providence Tunnel Opened”Art in Ruins: East Side Train TunnelProvidence Daily Dose: “East Side Cultist Riot 1993”Providence Daily Dose: “East Side Tunnel Inspires New Russom Album”Providence Police 1994 Documentary by Josh Oreck and Ivan HurzelerThe Brown Daily Herald — May 1, 1985

In the first episode of The Bruno Brief's series on myths at Brown, Elysee Barakett, Bruno Brief producer and staff writer, and Daphne Dluzniewski, producer and senior staff writer, talk about their reporting on secret societies on campus. What secret societies exist on campus, and why are they so secret? How have students moved away from campus-affiliated organizations? And how has the influence of Greek “secret societies” on campus evolved?Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.com. The Bruno Brief is produced in partnership with WBRU. 

Concluding The Brief's series on sexual politics, we'll be looking at hookup culture on campus. This week, we speak with Elysee Barakett, senior staff writer and Bruno Brief producer, about her reporting on the sex lives of Brown students. We hear from faculty members and students about their opinions on casual hookups, dating apps and relationships.

Continuing on with our series on sexual politics, this week we take a look at the history and development of queerness on campus. We speak with Liliana Greyf, a staff writer, about her reporting and hear from queer alumni and students.

Continuing with our series on sexual politics, this week we take a look at the scope of sexual assault advocacy on campus. We speak with Rhea Rasquinha, senior staff writer, about her reporting on this and hear from University officials and members of student organizations dedicated to this issue.

In the third episode of the Bruno Brief's series on sexual politics, we explore the history of art, sex and politics in 1970s Providence. We speak with Finn Kirkpatrick, senior staff writer and Bruno Brief producer, about his reporting on the topic, which dives into the police raid of a gallery violating state anti-obscenity laws and what constitutes the boundaries of acceptable artwork.

In the second episode of the Bruno Brief's series on sexual politics, we examine the landscape of reproductive rights on College Hill, past and present. We speak with Katy Pickens, Metro editor and Bruno Brief producer, about her recent reporting on the topic, diving into the early days of contraceptives and secret abortions all the way to the current discourse happening after the overturning of Roe V. Wade

In the first episode of the Bruno Brief's series on sexual politics, we dig into the history of nudity on Brown's campus and what it looks like today. We speak with Jacob Smollen, senior staff writer and Bruno Brief producer, about his reporting on the topic that dives into Playboy Magazine's visits to campus, the Sex Power God parties and the Naked Donut Run.

Let's talk about sex. Coming soon to your podcast feeds: It's season four of the Bruno Brief. This season, we're focusing on sexual politics at Brown. Stay tuned!

In the last episode of The Bruno Brief's special series on housing and gentrification on the East Side of Providence, we dig into current efforts to address Brown's property impact through taxation.Drawing on the words of recent legislation and local experts, we explore Brown's relationship with the broader Providence community in more recent years.

Urban development in Providence has historically led to displacement of minority communities, The Herald previously reported. One such community displaced by urban renewal projects was Lippitt Hill, an area that predominantly was home to residents of color who were forced to move before the entirety of their neighborhood was demolished in the late 1950s. 

The landscape of College Hill has undergone tremendous change in the last century. Between urban renewal, the impact and expansion of the University, off-campus student housing and the burgeoning field of historic preservation, complex factors contributed to a dramatic transformation.This episode of The Bruno Brief is part of a three-part special series on housing and gentrification. This week, we do a deep dive into property and housing on Providence's East Side. We hear from experts, academics and more to explore this multifaceted topic.

On March 13, 2020, Brown students were sent home as the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading across the country. Roughly two years later, on March 14, 2022, the University announced that masks and testing would become optional. This week, we spoke with Senior Staff Writer Ashley Guo about her reporting on how the lives of students have changed in the last two years.

Millions of Ukranians have been displaced as a result of the Russian invasion and bombing of Ukraine. They have flooded the borders of neighboring countries, seeking refuge from the violence. The University announced that it plans to provide an academic home for Ukrainian scholars displaced by the conflict in a community-wide email Feb. 27. In this episode of The Bruno Brief, we learn more about this program and the organizations the University is partnering with to support Ukrainian scholars.

In March 2019, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs announced its plan to phase out three of its concentrations and replace them with one new undergraduate concentration. In place of International Relations, Public Policy and Development Studies would come International and Public Affairs, a flexible and customizable new program with space for five electives from departments across the University. Three years later, IAPA has been fully implemented as a concentration. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we find out how these first years have gone, and what the future of IAPA looks like for undergraduates.

A surge in positive COVID-19 tests has sent hundreds of Brown students into isolation in the first month of a semester that was designed to include almost entirely in-person instruction. With 361 positive tests last week, how does it feel for students to be in isolation while the rest of campus continues as usual? We talked with section editors Will Kubzansky and Gabriella Vulakh about their coverage of this story. 

Beginning next semester, Residential Peer Leaders will become a thing of the past. Community Coordinators will be a new student-staff position with nearly double the pay of an RPL. How will the new Community Coordinator role be different, and how do current RPLs feel about this shift? We spoke to Senior Staff Writer Emily Faulhaber '24 about her reporting on this topic.

 Hospitals around the United States have been ravaged by the pandemic, and the Rhode Island hospitals near Brown University's campus are no exception. We spoke to Senior Staff Writer Neil Mehta '25 about the additional strain that Brown student intoxication hospitalizations have put on these hospitals in recent months.

The Black Star Journal, Brown's newest publication, aims to connect Black voices and highlight the joys of being a Black student at Brown. We spoke to Senior Staff Writer Kaitlyn Torres '24 about the Journal and the students behind it.

In 2020, the University created a trimester plan that asked the incoming class to take classes during the spring and summer semester. Now, after almost a year of school with no more than a few weeks off, we talk with members of the class of '24 about their struggles with mental health and burnout since coming to Brown.

Every year around Halloween, movie fans turn to horror for seasonal thrills. We spoke to Science and Research Editor Claire Liu '23.5 about her reporting on the psychology behind horror movies, different film techniques and why being scared is sometimes a good thing.

Brown students poured onto the Main Green Oct. 21 to protest the working conditions of Brown Dining Services workers following Herald reporting bringing light to conditions inside the University's dining halls. We spoke to Senior Staff Writers Peter Swope '24 and Will Kubzansky '24 about their coverage of the protest and initial story, respectively.

On this week's episode of The Bruno Brief, producer Katy Pickens explores how the pandemic has impacted knowledge of traditions among students. She spoke to sophomores and first-years, many of whom still don't feel connected to campus culture, and reflected on how her own knowledge of campus tradition has been shaped by the pandemic.