In this Q&A, Professor of Political Science Marion Orr discusses the Baltimore school system. Orr has examined Baltimore schools for decades. His book, “Black Social Capital: The Politics of School Reform in Baltimore,” draws on data gathered as part of an 11-city study of urban school reform, and explores the role of race, class and politics in the city’s public school system.

Brown University awarded former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell the Susan Colver Rosenberg Medal at its Commencement ceremony. This article was distributed to member media throughout New England.

This feature story about Dr. Cheng-Chieh Chuang, clinical assistant professor of family medicine, takes a look at the aesthetic values of his medical practice.

Former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Paul A. Volcker talks about the investigation he headed into the oil-for-food program in pre-war Iraq. His presentation was a Commencement Forum presented May 27.

A book review of History Professor Gordon Wood’s new book, “Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different,” notes that Wood “paints these fascinating characters in all their contrasting and conflicting colors, and does so quite brilliantly.” Wood presented a Commencement Forum on the topic on May 27.

Electricity for the annual Campus Dance this year came through renewable sources. Twenty-five megawatt hours of electricity for the dance were provided through a Brown alumnus’ company that purchases energy credits from providers of renewable energy. This article was distributed to member media throughout New England.

Brown University’s Commencement ceremony is a combination of “practiced ceremony and lighthearted fun.”

A book review of History Professor Gordon Wood’s new book, “Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different,” calls Wood’s essays “absorbing.” Wood presented a Commencement Forum on the topic on May 27.

Thomas Powers, assistant professor of engineering, was among the scientists who recently reported that common green algae may have evolved into multicellular organisms by beating tail-like appendages fast enough to process more nutrients. This article was distributed to UPI member media, and appeared in newspapers and on websites around the world.

Environmental agencies are looking at introducing a disease-resistant species of Asian oyster – known as the Suminoe oyster – to help restore the Chesapeake Bay. This editorial reflects on those efforts, and cites a Brown University study that “painted a dramatic picture of the interaction between shellfish and nutrient pollution.”

In a speech presented at Brown May 27, Paul Volcker, former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, described U.S. foreign policy as abrasive. This wire-service article was distributed to member media throughout New England.

Polls show declining approval rates for President Bush and Congress in general, but voters “love their own representative," said Political Science Professor Darrell West, who was among the political scientists interviewed for this article.

Flagella, which set some microorganisms in motion, also help colonies of green algae take in additional nutrients. This finding, made by a team of scientists from University of Arizona and Brown University, may help explain how some organisms evolved to multicellularity. This press release was distributed by the Brown University Office of Media Relations