Opinions

A photo of a hand holding a protest sign with the text “UNION STRONG.”

Ziegler GS: The University’s characterization of Brown-GLO contract negotiations is disingenuous

By Michael Ziegler | September 9

On July 1, the collective bargaining agreement between Brown and the Graduate Labor Organization — which had been in place since 2023 — expired with no replacement. The same day, Provost Francis Doyle III and Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Sarah Latham wrote ...

Canfield ’28: Governor McKee has turned his back on Rhode Island youth

By Ethan Canfield | September 8

Incumbent Gov. Dan McKee is up for reelection tomorrow and is facing a tough primary challenge from former CVS Pharmacy President Helena Foulkes. The latest polling shows McKee trailing Foulkes by 38 points, making his chances of staying in office slim. In a last-ditch effort to gain momentum for his ...

A photo depicts Governor Dan McKee sitting in the Pembroke field house, two teenagers visible through an open door behind his turned back.

Editorial: Brett Smiley for Providence Mayor

By Editorial Page Board | September 6

Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board, and its views are separate from those of The Herald’s newsroom and the 136th Editorial Board, which leads the paper. A majority of the editorial page board voted in favor of this piece. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com ...

Mayor Brett Smiley speaking behind a wooden podium with microphones attached to it.

Dissent: David Morales for Providence Mayor

By Evan Tao | September 6

Dissenting Opinions: When The Herald’s editorial page board disagrees, members have the opportunity to publish a dissent to explain why they voted against the editorial. Editorials — and dissents, if any — are written by members of The Herald’s editorial page board, which is separate from those ...

Editors’ note: A semester later, our campus is as strong as ever

By 136th Editorial Board | April 24

On Jan. 23, we published our first print edition as the 136th Editorial Board. Today — over 600 articles later — we are publishing our final print edition of the semester.

Rahman ’26: Why I write

By Tasawwar Rahman | April 24

Imagine you are a 19th-century shipowner about to send one of your vessels to the New World, carrying a cargo of hopeful families seeking a better life. While your ship has historically been sturdy, she has seen many rough seas and often needs repair. Doubt begins to creep into your mind about whether ...

An illustration of a man looking at a ship during a storm.

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Editorial: Brown must grapple with its relationship with the United States

By Editorial Page Board | April 24

Last week, Yale released a report arguing that universities share responsibility for the nation’s loss of trust in higher education. Trust in private universities — along with the reputation of the Ivy League — is especially depressed. Faith in higher education reached a historic low of 36% in ...

Photo of University Hall with a snowy lawn in front.

Opinions

Manhardt ’26: Take an acting class

By Batisse Manhardt | April 24

I stumbled into TAPS 0030: “Introduction to Acting and Directing” during my fall semester of senior year after a friend randomly mentioned the class to me. I had previously acted in a middle school play, and enjoyed the creative and fun aspects of it, though I’d never taken an acting class. After ...

Drawing of a red mask that is smiling and a blue mask that is frowning.

Opinions

Aizenberg ’26: What I have learned from writing 30 opinion columns for The Herald

By Benjamin Aizenberg | April 24

It’s 3 a.m. and I’m sitting in my cramped dorm room in Perkins Hall, trying to write an opinion column about why Taylor Swift is overrated. The problem is that I don’t know much about Taylor Swift, other than that it annoys me when people treat her like a god. I struggle to find a way to start ...

Drawing of someone sitting in front of a computer at a desk with “How?” printed on the screen.

Opinions

Edelson ’29: Bring back overnight ADOCH

By Clay Edelson | April 22

I’ll never forget my experience during “A Day on College Hill.” As I stepped off the plane, I felt a mix of excitement and uncertainty as I navigated the city on my own for the first time. When I arrived on College Hill, that uncertainty began to fade. I had the opportunity to stay with a sophomore ...

Illustration of a dark blue sky with a triangular building in the background and a tree with the letters “A,” “D,” “O,” “C” and “H” on alternating red and brown and red pennants. A path leads from the tree to the building and the moon peeks through the tree’s branches. More bare trees flank the building.

Opinions

Letter: Response to Rahman ’26: Let student government fail

By Ariel Shifrin | April 22

To The Editor:

Opinions

Letter: Response to ‘After AI cheating concerns, economics professors see in-person exams as a path forward’

By Joachim I. Krueger | April 22

To the Editor:

Opinions

Ahmed ’27: Without Bengali, Brown’s focus on global learning is incomplete

By Shayyan Ahmed | April 22

The creation of the Watson School of International and Public Affairs marked a pivotal moment in Brown’s commitment to global education on campus. The Watson School expands courses, research and other opportunities for students to engage with issues around the world. Brown’s emphasis on international ...

Illustration of a laptop screen showing the Courses @ Brown page of a hypothetical intermediate Bengali class.

Opinions

Rahman ’26: Let student government fail

By Tasawwar Rahman | April 21

On April 10, Undergraduate Council of Students President Talib Reddick ’26 and Undergraduate Finance Board Chair Naomi LeDell ’26 stood on the steps of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center to announce that Ariel Shifrin ’27 was elected as UCS president and Aidan Lu ’27 as UFB chair. Back in ...

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Opinions

Leggat-Barr ’28: Brown students, with this year’s looming midterms, it’s time for us to organize

By Tommy Leggat-Barr | April 20

It is wildly uncommon for a president to have approval ratings this low in the first two years of the presidency. The second Trump administration’s baseless foreign wars, the corresponding economic impact and failing message discipline have severely diminished his party’s prospects for the 2026 ...

A concrete eagle in front of a blue sky.

Opinions

Berkwits ’29: Get yourself a Brown bucket list

By Talia Berkwits | April 17

There’s nothing quite like spring at Brown: The sun is shining, trees are blooming and it feels like the whole school is having one big picnic on the Main Green. When I look at this picturesque scene, I can’t ignore an underlying sense of impending doom otherwise known as summer break. The threat ...

An illustration of a person's hand holding a pencil and writing a "Bucket List."

Opinions

Editorial: Brown does not view Providence as a playground

By Editorial Page Board | April 16

Brown and Providence are fundamentally intertwined. The University’s successes benefit the city, and the city’s culture benefits Brown. Brown supports Providence with millions of dollars annually through direct community contributions, by employing locals and investing in the city’s workforce ...

Opinions

Rahman ’26: Brown should have more opportunities for students to learn about the Holocaust

By Tasawwar Rahman | April 14

This spring break, my friends and I travelled through Germany, Poland and Lithuania, visiting Holocaust sites and learning about its legacy. Despite being a Judaic studies concentrator and being currently enrolled in JUDS 0902: “History of the Holocaust,” this trip was eye-opening in a way few other ...

A photo showing a large, rectangular stone sculpture outside with stairs leading up to its platform. Two people are standing on the platform next to the sculpture.

Opinions

Tkachenko ’29: Brown students need to listen to the political pulse of Spring Weekend

By Maya Tkachenko | April 14

The last year has seen many Brown students speaking out about the issues they care about, from No Kings rallies to anti-ICE protests and outcries against the Trump administration. In 2026, activism remains a critical fiber in Brown’s social fabric.

An illustration showing students sitting on the grass watching a concert during Spring Weekend.

Opinions

Vishwakarma ’29: Math students need seminars too

By Arya Vishwakarma | April 13

When I ask questions in my MATH 1530: “Abstract Algebra” lecture, I tend to buffer them with filler words: “like,” “wait,” “sorry.” While my friend and I raise our hands before speaking, some of our classmates are more direct with their remarks, pointing at the board when they think ...

An illustration of a man in a yellow shirt speaking to a group of five students in front of a white board with a graph on it.