Best V-day gift for guys? Sex, prof says. - 02.13.2008

Woonsocket, Rhode Island—Looking for the perfect Valentine's Day gift? For a man, sex would be your best bet, says Scott Haltzman '82 MD'85.

"It's not about power," in a relationship, said Haltzman, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior. "It's about trying to figure out what needs your partner has."

Sex is something that will keep men happy, Haltzman wrote in the fifth chapter of his new book, "The Secrets of Happily Married Women: How to Get More Out of Your Relationship by Doing Less," which was released last month.

The crux of Haltzman's book can be gathered from the chapter titles alone: Chapter 1: Know Your Husband, Chapter 2: Nurture His Needs - and Yours, Chapter 4: Talk Less and, of course, Chapter 5: Have Lots of Sex.

"Haltzman gives readers a pragmatic approach to relationships. He's not politically correct and doesn't try to be polite. But his writing is funny, enjoyable and addresses fundamental differences between men and women," said Alan Windsler, Haltzman's editor. Windsler works for Jossey-Bass, a San Francisco-based publisher.

The book is a product of Haltzman's own experience as a married man of 20 years and as a practicing marriage counselor. He cites various studies in the field and includes real stories that married women submitted to his Web site, DrScott.com

Haltzman said that, in theory, men and women should be capable of doing the same things, but that is usually not the case.

"For women, it's about having a connection with their partner, but men get better results when they approach their relationship as a job," he said.

Haltzman also notes that though verbal communication is "everything for women," men respond better to non-verbal communication.

"When men talk to each other, they don't even need to face each other or make eye contact to get a point across," he said.

Since its release, the book has already earned him attention from multiple radio talk shows, U.S. News & World Report and the New York Times.

But Haltzman said he's anxious about what the female feedback will be like for this book.

"So far, most women (that have read the book) have just been shocked that what I said makes sense," Haltzman said.

Windsler said the publishing company has high hopes for the book.

" Reviews have been good, and it's no secret in the industry that women buy relationship books more than men do," Windsler said.

The book is the second in a three-part series of self-help books for couples. The first, "The Secrets of Happily Married Men: Eight Ways to Win Your Wife's Heart Forever," was released in 2005 and also earned him media attention.

Haltzman is currently offering a free, autographed copy of his second book to those who fill out a survey on his Web site. Comments shared on the survey will give him feedback for his third book, "Secrets of Happy Families." The third and final book in the series is slated for release sometime next year, Haltzman said.

© Copyright 2008 Brown Daily Herald

Also picked up by the Uwire:
http://archive.uwire.com/2008/02/13/the-best-v-day-gift-for-guys-sex-brown-u-prof-says/

RE: Emails Will Welcome Students to the U. – 02.05.08

Providence, RI — In an effort to personalize a student's welcome to Brown, the Admission Office = will ask current students to send congratulatory e-mails to admitted students.

"There's good evidence that our current students have an enormous effect on wooing kids to come here," said Elisha Anderson '98, associate director of admission, "so this is a way of tapping into that potential."

The Admitted Student Email Initiative was proposed by Michael Dempsey '79, chair of the Brown Alumni Schools Committee in Region 2, which comprises West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and South Carolina.

Last year, alums in the region contacted admitted students who shared the same academic or career interests.

"The initiative got positive feedback last year and will continue this spring," Anderson said, adding that other Ivy League schools have started similar programs.

The success of the alumni outreach program encouraged Brown to start a student outreach program, Anderson said. He added that such a program isn't unprecedented - Wellesley's admissions office used to have current students hand-write congratulatory letters to admitted students.

Anderson, the liaison between the Bruin Club and Admission Office, will primarily manage the initiative. He began recruiting volunteers for its pilot year by attending two Bruin Club meetings last week. He asked those interested in the program to fill out an application detailing their hometowns, extracurricular activities at Brown and in high school, possible careers and ethnicity.

"It's not clear yet if we will be able to recruit enough students to reach out to the entire admitted student population," Anderson said, "but we're going to try and get as many quality people as we can."

Anderson estimated that it would take around 400 volunteers e-mailing four to five students to reach out to all the accepted students in the regular admission pool. Students accepted via early decision will not receive such e-mails.

"It's a great idea to initiate if you target students that can't visit, but if it's everyone then it's ridiculous," said Marco Martinez '08, a minority recruitment intern for the admission office. "That's just too many letters to write."

But Martinez, who will not participate in the program, said he thinks it's a "nice gesture," and would have "felt honored" to receive a personalized congratulatory e-mail, especially if he had not visited the school prior to enrolling.

Anderson said students will be matched by region or interests in the hope of providing admitted students with evidence of how "people like themselves have come to Brown and have had a good experience."

The e-mails will not follow any sort of pre-approved template, though volunteers will be able to read past e-mails sent to admitted students.

"The content (of the e-mail) would not have been as important as the overall tone," said Adam Kroll '09, vice president of the Bruin Club.

So far, there has been little discussion over whether the Bruin Club will eventually take over the recruitment and running of this initiative, but Kroll said it is a possibility.

© Copyright 2008 Brown Daily Herald

Med student for starting health initiatives - 01.25.08

Providence, RI — At the age of five, Rajiv Kumar '05 MD'09 knew he shared the same "passion" for medicine that the 20 doctors in his family have. In two years, Kumar will graduate from the Alpert Medical School - via the Program for Liberal Medical Education - with not only three successful health initiatives under his belt, but also the honor of being chosen as one of Providence Monthly magazine's "10 people you don't know now (but soon will)" for 2008.

"I'm thrilled the work I'm doing is getting this kind of attraction. That's how I know I'm doing the right thing," Kumar said.

Kumar's current work includes the nationwide expansion of Providence Health Solutions , a workplace wellness company he co-founded with Brad Weinberg '03 MD'09 last year that helps employers teach their employees how to lead healthy lifestyles. The program has already impressed people in the state by winning the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition in 2007.

The idea behind Providence Health Solutions is similar to that of Kumar's biggest project, Shape Up RIShape Up RI. Providence Health Solutions holds exercise and weight-loss competitions in the workplace, while Shape Up RI does so for the entire state.

Having founded Shape Up RI in December 2005, Kumar continues to believe that "innovative solutions" are the best cure for obesity, which he considers "the single greatest health challenge in the nation."

Shape Up RI's Web site said the program was accountable for a 28,519-pound collective weight loss among 6,916 people in 2007.

This year - the first year in which all 39 cities and towns in the Ocean State will be represented in the competition - will mark the program's third competition. Last year, University employees made up 431 of those involved, a number Kumar hopes will rise in 2008.

"We already have 350 employees signed up, but the last day to register is Monday," he said, adding that the $15 entrance fee is covered by the University.

Kumar's ultimate dream for Shape Up RI is to raise enough funds to offer the service free of charge.

His third project is Adopt A Doctor, an organization he co-founded in June 2003 with Ray Rickman, a former state representative, to "reverse the brain drain (of doctors) in Africa."

It currently gives 16 doctors - in Liberia, Malawi, Mali and Sierra Leone - $100 per month to help them stay and practice in their home countries, in exchange for a several-year commitment to stay in the country.

When asked how he did it all, Kumar said, "By sacrificing a lot of sleep."

In a more serious tone, he added that "Brown students are full of ideas, passion and energy but sometimes schoolwork gets in the way of all that."

"I encourage other students to take advantage of being in a state like Rhode Island. It's a wonderful place to bringing about change in the community," he said.

Kumar, originally from Connecticut, now views Rhode Island as his new home.

© Copyright 2008 Brown Daily Herald