RWU Media Room

This entry was posted on November 3, 2009, filed under: Community, Featured, RWU School of Law. | There are 1 Comments. |

When Rhode Island Governor Donald A. Carcieri signed a bill today outlawing indoor prostitution in Rhode Island, the first-year law student whose efforts were instrumental in securing the law’s passage was on hand by special invitation.

Melanie Shapiro, 22, a current student at Roger Williams University School of Law who co-founded and co-directs Citizens Against Trafficking, has been confronting the issue of indoor prostitution in Rhode Island for years. Working together with Professor Donna Hughes of the University of Rhode Island, she played a key role in getting the issue front-and-center before the state legislature and urging its passage into law.

Shapiro’s numerous penetrating and detailed reports on the issues circulated widely among law enforcement personnel and members of the Rhode Island General Assembly prior to the historic vote. Most of these reports are available on the Citizens Against Trafficking website; one of the more comprehensive, titled “Sex Trafficking and Decriminalized Prostitution Indoors in Rhode Island,” can be read online.

“When you legalize something, you legitimize it,” Shapiro says. “And I could never stand behind legitimizing something so inherently dangerous to women and children. Rhode Island was part of an international legislative debate about prostitution. The whole world was watching. This change here will have policy implications throughout the world for countries like India, which were on the verge of decriminalization.”

Shapiro’s strong opinions and hands-on, confrontational approach to the issue have often put her into the line of fire, and she has a dramatic story to tell. “I have experienced a lot of backlash and direct confrontation with pimps, madams, managers and other perpetrators; as well as verbal and print attacks from the opposition,” she notes.

The Rhode Island bill’s sponsors, Rep. Joanne M. Giannini, D-Providence, and Sen. Paul V. Jabour, D-Providence, have publicly acknowledged Shapiro’s positive influence on the bill’s passage. Her report and many other writings on the topic have circulated within the FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and many other organizations. She has been widely quoted by news organizations including the Providence Journal, the National Review and the Associated Press, and has appeared on local radio television networks, and interviewed for background by such publications as the Wall Street Journal.

About RWU Law: The Roger Williams University School of Law is the only law school in Rhode Island, and offers future attorneys a rigorous, world-class legal education in a supportive, personalized environment. A top-notch faculty and strong student culture, plus a commitment to public service, drive the school’s rapidly growing reputation for preparing graduates for practice in the 21st century.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

This entry was posted on October 22, 2009, filed under: Community, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

Céline Cousteau, marine conservation advocate and self-proclaimed “oceanaut,” will present a discussion on sustainability and social change at Roger Williams University on Tuesday, November 3. Cousteau is the daughter of ocean explorer and filmmaker Jean-Michel Cousteau and granddaughter of the legendary Jacques Cousteau.

In addition to her frequent appearances on PBS’ most successful new television show, “Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures,” she is also the international program coordinator for the Ocean Futures Society, a global organization exploring the world’s oceans while inspiring and educating people to act responsibly for its protection. During her visit to campus, Cousteau will explore the delicate connections between people and the natural world and how these relationships affect the health of both humanity and the environment.

Cousteau will be presenting her talk as part of the University’s Civil Discourse Lecture Series. The Roger Williams Civil Discourse Lecture Series was created to provide an open forum for the discussion of relevant social, economic and political issues.

Whether being a lifelong advocate of sustainability initiatives or are new to the conversation entirely, all are encouraged to join the University community in examining the intricate relationships between humans beings against the backdrop of their cultural experiences, and how people relate to each other in their own communities and with the world around them.

The presentation will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the University’s Recreation Center Gymnasium on the Bristol Campus at One Old Ferry Road. The event is free, and limited tickets are available to the public. For more information or to reserve a ticket, call (401) 254-3210.

Members of the media are also encouraged to attend. For more information, contact University Communications at (401) 254- 5206.

About Roger Williams University: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

This entry was posted on October 21, 2009, filed under: Academic, Community, Featured. | There are No Comments. |

Noted Jordanian author and journalist, Rana Husseini, has spent years researching and writing about the horror of honor killings that occur in many parts of the world, including the United States. The Roger Williams University Women’s Center will host Husseini on campus Thursday, November 12, for two public lectures. During her visit to RWU, Husseini will address the terrible nature of honor killings as chronicled in her new novel, “Murder in the Name of Honor.”

In her new book, Husseini tells the stories of women from across the globe who became victims of honor killings, and talks about the cultural dynamics that allow these horrific acts. She has bravely uncovered one of the world’s darkest crimes and chronicles both sides of this disturbing issue through interviews with fathers and sons who have committed these crimes and women who were able to escape their oppressors.

Husseini will engage the public in the Mary Teft White Cultural Center at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m. in the Roger Williams Law School Appellate Court room. She will be available to meet with the public and sign books following each lecture. Both events are open to the public and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. More information on these events can be found by calling the RWU Women’s Center at (401) 254- 3294.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

This entry was posted on September 23, 2009, filed under: Community, Featured, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

After a nearly six-year financial planning process, 10 months of design and a 12-month construction period, Roger Williams University opened the doors today to its Global Heritage Hall, a premier state-of-the-art learning center and the “hub” of global research, scholarship, study and collaboration for the Roger Williams University community.

Destined to become a hallmark of the RWU Bristol campus, the 52,000 square foot, four-story facility boasts a three-story atrium, outdoor terrace area for teaching and a light-filled, technology-rich learning center. The Global Heritage Hall is home to:

• The departments of History; Communication and Graphic Design; Writing Studies, Rhetoric and Composition; English and Creative Writing; and Foreign Languages, Philosophy and Classics
• The Peggy and Marc Spiegel Center for Global & International Programs
• The Donald C. McGraw Foundation Communications Labs
• Multimedia Communications Studio and Newsroom
• The Robert F. Stoico/FIRSTFED World Languages Center
• Seven Heritage Classrooms that serve as a gateway to the world for the RWU community. With one still to be assigned, the following six heritages each have a devoted classroom in the Global Heritage Hall: African-American, Bristolian, Italian, Latino, Native American, and Portuguese.

The Global Heritage Hall is the latest in a string of significant capital projects completed by the University in 2009. The new North Campus Residence Village and the new University Alumni & Admissions Center are some of the recent construction projects enhancing RWU’s Bristol campus. Funded through a $1 million Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the University also completed the expansion of its Marine & Natural Sciences Building that is home to RWU’s Center for Environmental and Economic Development.

Members of the media are welcomed to tour the Global Heritage Hall by contacting Kathleen Lowe, director of Media and Marketing Services by calling (401) 254-5206.

Additional photos may be found here

This entry was posted on September 21, 2009, filed under: Community, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

El Instituto Latino de Legislación y Políticas de Rhode Island (LPI, por sus siglas en inglés) anunció hoy que su junta designó a Ferdinand “Fred” Fuentes como su primer Director Ejecutivo. La selección de Fuentes culmina una búsqueda nacional iniciada por LPI. Fuentes tiene una trayectoria solida que incluye más de 12 años de experiencia en las áreas de educación, organización cívica, servicio comunitario y liderazgo.

Fuentes posee una Maestría en Teología de La Escuela de Teología de Andover Newton y está actualmente terminando su Doctorado en Educación de la Universidad de Johnson and Wales. El es miembro activo de varias importantes juntas como son Educational and Personal Advisory Council, the Massachusetts Redistricting Committee, the New Bedford Human Relations Commission, entre otros.

“Estamos muy contentos de tener una persona con las credenciales de Fuentes dirigiendo los esfuerzos de LPI,” dijo Jorge Elorza, Presidente de la Junta. “El fue seleccionado por su liderazgo, conocimiento de los temas que afecta la comunidad Latina y por su compromiso con los temas identificados por la junta. LPI ha trabajado arduamente por los últimos tres años para desarrollar un plan estratégico que fortalezca el Instituto, y nos asegure lograr la misión establecida por la junta de directores”.

“Caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar”, dijo Fred Fuentes. “De verdad que LPI estará estableciendo una nueva realidad al proveer investigación y al presentar soluciones innovadoras a los problemas que afectan la comunidad Latina de RI. A través de nuestro trabajo afirmaremos las contribuciones hechas por Latinos y probar así que la inversión a la comunidad Latina es una inversión para todos en RI”.

Los Latinos son actualmente la minoría de más rápido crecimiento en el Estado y se estima que para el año 2020 esas cifras se duplicarán. Debido a las proyecciones de crecimiento de esta comunidad, el Instituto Latino de Legislación y Políticas y la Universidad Roger Williams demostrarán que lo que beneficia a los Latinos, beneficia a todo el Estado. A través de datos e investigación científica, el LPI se convertirá en una fuente fundamental para los funcionarios públicos encargados de la creación de leyes.

El presidente de la Universidad de Roger Williams, Roy J. Nirschel expresó que Fred Fuentes trae una experiencia extensa e iniciará su nueva posición con energía y entusiasmo para producir cambios. “No hay duda que Fuentes será una voz fuerte e importante en la meta de de establecer una imagen clara de la comunidad latina y sus contribuciones”.

This entry was posted on September 21, 2009, filed under: Academic, Community, RWU School of Law. | There are No Comments. |

WHAT: Roger Williams University School of Law and local community organizations celebrate the launch of the new Immigration Clinic at RWU, and offer media and guests a tour of the new facility.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 23, 2009
11:00 a.m. to 12 noon

WHERE: Roger Williams University, Providence Campus
150 Washington Street
Providence, Rhode Island

WHY: Problem: Rhode Island’s immigrant communities form a large, fast-growing and underserved segment of the state’s population, and those most in need of complex legal representation are frequently least able to afford it. Solution: A state-of-the-art legal clinic pairing law students, under the guidance of a full-time professor, with needy clients from around the state.

WHO: Featured speakers include:

• Dean David A. Logan, Roger Williams University School of Law;
• Carl Krueger, Immigration Attorney, The Feinstein Center for Citizenship & Immigration Services, International Institute of Rhode Island
• Ramon Martinez, President/CEO, Progreso Latino, Inc.
• Professor Mary Holper, Director of the Immigration Law Clinic at Roger Williams University

About RWU Law: The Roger Williams University School of Law is the only law school in Rhode Island, and offers future attorneys a rigorous, world-class legal education in a supportive, personalized environment. A top-notch faculty and strong student culture, plus a commitment to public service, drive the school’s rapidly growing reputation for preparing graduates for practice in the 21st century.

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

This entry was posted on September 21, 2009, filed under: Community, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

The Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University (LPI) announced today that its Board of Directors has hired Ferdinand “Fred” Fuentes as its first Executive Director. The selection of Fuentes marks the successful culmination of a national search launched by the Institute. Fuentes brings with him a solid background including more than 12 years of experience in educational research, community building, civic engagement, and organizational development.

Fuentes holds a master’s degree in divinity from Andover Newton Theological School and is currently completing his doctorate in education at Johnson & Wales University. He has also served on a number of boards and organizations including the Educational and Personal Advisory Council, the Massachusetts Redistricting Committee, the New Bedford Human Relations Commission and various other groups.

“We are very excited to have someone with Fuentes’ credentials leading the important work of the Institute,” said Jorge Elorza, Co-Chairman of the LPI Board of Directors. “He was chosen for his leadership skills, understanding of the community and deep commitment to the issues laid out in LPI’s business plan. LPI has worked diligently over the past three years to develop a strategic plan to strengthen the Institute and to ensure that it achieves the goals set forth by the Board of Directors and stakeholders. Fuentes’ experience as an academician, administrator and educational leader makes him uniquely qualified to direct the Institute.”

“Traveler, there is no path, we make the path we walk,” stated Fred Fuentes. “Truly, the LPI at Roger Williams University will blaze a new trail as it provides awareness, thorough analysis, and prompt, creative solutions to the most pressing issues within the Latino community. Through this, we will affirm the contributions Latinos are making and prove to the state that an investment in the Latino community is an investment in all of Rhode Island.”

Latinos are currently the largest minority population in Rhode Island, and those numbers are expected to double by the year 2020. Because of the projected growth of this community, the Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University will make the case that what is good for Latinos is also good for the state. LPI will provide empirically grounded public policy research that will contribute to fundamental advances in the quality of life of Latinos and of the state as a whole. By stimulating public policy discourse based on timely and factual data, the Institute will serve as a valuable resource to state and local policymakers in Rhode Island while documenting the social, economic and civic contributions of Latinos in Rhode Island.

“Not only will Fred Fuentes bring extensive experience to the Latino Policy Institute, he’ll approach his work with the energy and enthusiasm needed to initiate progress,” said University President Roy J. Nirschel. “He’ll undoubtedly be a critical, vocal leader as we work toward building an awareness of Rhode Island’s Latino community members and their contributions.”

For this release in Spanish

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

About LPI: The Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University is an independent research institute committed to generating and communicating non-partisan data of Latinos in Rhode Island. The LPI stimulates public policy discourse and enhances the public’s understanding of the Rhode Island Latino experience. With this information, Latinos’ social, economic and civic contributions to the state can be better documented and understood.

This entry was posted on September 21, 2009, filed under: Community, On Campus. | There are No Comments. |

In 2006 the chefs at Roger Williams University joined over 400 other Bon Appétit restaurants and cafés in preparing this annual meal made entirely with ingredients sourced from within 150 miles of their kitchens. Today it continues to be a revolutionary event that brings together the creative talents of top chefs, the cream-of-the-crop harvest from the finest farmers and tens of thousands of diners connecting to the roots that grow beneath their plate. On September 29th the Bon Appétit chefs are ready for the challenge of creating memorable, made-from-scratch, fare relying solely on what’s within farms reach.

For this year’s Eat Local Challenge, Executive Chef, at Roger Williams University, Roger Lavoie, is excited to highlight Rhode Island’s best with dishes like grilled swordfish with a fresh local tomato-basil butter and fall root vegetable stew served with homemade corn bread that he will prepare with the bounty from local purveyors such as Johnson’s Farm in Swansea, Massachusetts, Tyler Young’s farm in Little Compton, Rhode Island, and Northeast Family Farms.

According to the Association of College and University Housing Officers - International (ACUHO-I) and Educational Benchmarking Institute (EBI), “since 2001, student satisfaction with University dining has improved from being ranked in the bottom 10 percent in an independent national benchmark survey to the top 2 percent,” stated Roy J. Nirschel, President of Roger Williams University. “The University continues to pride itself on becoming a sustainable campus and this program is just one way that they work towards accomplishing this goal, he concluded.”

While the Eat Local Challenge comes only once each year, diners at Roger Williams University and all of Bon Appétit’s cafés and restaurants are local eaters (aka “locavores”) year round. The company’s decade old Farm to Fork program requires that a minimum of 20% of all ingredients used in the cafés comes from the surrounding area. The collective power of the Bon Appétit chefs, who prepare almost 120 million meals each year, has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars spent on local food artisans and small owner-operated farms.

“Over the past three years of the Eat Local Challenge at RWU I’ve experienced firsthand how Bon Appétit uses the kitchen to,” said Robert Lavoie. “As a chef, I love supporting the farmers and artisans who grow our food, minimizing the impact our food choices have on the earth, and restoring the pleasures of the table.”

On the surface, the Eat Local Challenge is a simple, delicious meal. But a quick peek under the lettuce leaf reveals a vast ripple effect of strengthened communities, economically vital small farms, and diners who can taste the web they weave with each bite. In today’s economy, we need food thought-leaders like Bon Appétit and cafés like those at Roger Williams University that do more than just serve food – they serve socially responsible meals that result in thriving communities.

About Roger Williams University
Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 40 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2009, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the seventh-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.

About Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit Management Company is an onsite restaurant company offering full food service management to corporations, universities and specialty venues. Bon Appétit is committed to sourcing sustainable, local foods for all cafés throughout the country. A pioneer in environmentally sound sourcing policies, Bon Appétit has developed programs addressing local purchasing, the overuse of antibiotics, sustainable seafood, cage-free eggs, and most recently, the connection between food and climate change. The company has received numerous awards for its work from organizations like the Natural Resources Defense Council, Seafood Choices Alliance, The Humane Society of the United States, and Food Alliance. Based in Palo Alto, CA, Bon Appétit has more than 400 cafés in 29 states, including eBay, the University of Pennsylvania and the Getty Center.