The Chronicle T h e i n d e p e n d e n t d a i ly at D u k e U n i v e r s i t y
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010
Finance VP to take Wake Forest post
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTH YEAR, Issue 36
www.dukechronicle.com
LaSalle patrols increase after recent crimes
Crazie Hops
by Joanna Lichter
by Zachary Tracer
THE CHRONICLE
THE CHRONICLE
Duke’s top finance man is trading Devils for Demons. Hof Milam, vice president for finance and treasurer, will step down in December to become senior vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer at Wake Forest University. “Wake Forest offered the very best match for me,” he said. “I felt like I was ready to operate at a little higher level within an organization.” Milam will have broader responsibilities at Wake Hof Milam Forest than he currently has at Duke. In addition to dealing with Wake Forest’s finances, Milam will oversee human resources, dining and facilities and will report directly to Wake Forest’s president. “Hof Milam brings to Wake Forest exceptional skills and experience, as well as a deep understanding of and appreciation for higher education and for this university,” Wake Forest President Nathan Hatch said in a news release. “He has demonstrated great success in working through complex financial and operational issues and will bring terrific leadership to our entire finance and administrative services divisions.” Milam said the opportunity to take on greater responsibilities and report directly to the president was the reason he decided to leave Duke. “It came down to just wanting to grow in my own career by having the opportunity to apply a little bit of my own judgement... and to be able to advise the leader of the organization,” he said. Milam earned both his undergraduate degree and MBA at Wake Forest and previously worked as an assistant dean at Wake Forest’s School of Medicine. But he said working at his alma mater was not a major factor in his decision to leave Duke. Milam said Duke administrators were aware of his desire for a bigger role. But a position like the one Milam will take on at Wake Forest—similar to Tallman Trask’s executive vice president post at Duke—was unlikely to become available at the University any time soon. “My interest in such a position was well known by Tallman, but I expect Tallman to
University officials gathered Friday afternoon for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Learning Center, the School of Medicine’s newest building. The event included speeches by top administrators and a performance by Major Groove, an a cappella group composed of medical students. The building is expected to be completed by Winter 2012. The six-story, 83,000 square-feet structure will contain everything from a 400-seat auditorium to a fitness room, conference rooms and a roof-top terrace. It will be the School of Medicine’s first teaching facility since construction of the Davison Building, which connects the medical campus with the University’s main academic quad. “From the very beginning, Duke has been known for innovation in medical education, and this building will allow us to take innovation to a whole new level,” said Dr. Victor Dzau, chancellor for health affairs and CEO of the Duke University Health System. Located near the center of the medical campus, the building will link the clinical and research portions of the
See milam on page 5
See learning center on page 8
Locals treasure tradition of State Fair, Page 3
Margie truwit/The Chronicle
Miles Plumlee dazzled the crowd during the slam dunk contest Friday. He finished in second place, making Andre Dawkins the repeat champion. Blue Devil fans got their first opportunity to celebrate the 2010-2011 basketball season Friday during Countdown to Craziness. SEE SPORTSWRAP PAGE 7
In response to recent robberies of students on LaSalle Street, Duke and Durham police departments are taking collaborative measures to improve off-campus safety. To address safety concerns, Chief John Dailey of the Duke University Police Department hosted a meeting Friday with the Durham Police Department and University officials. DPD is immediately increasing patrols of LaSalle Street and assessing the area’s lighting to potentially increase visibility. The University is also extending evening operating hours of the LaSalle Street bus by two hours. Under the new plan, the bus will run until 11 p.m. Monday to Friday. Meeting attendees included DPD Chief Jose Lopez, the DPD commanding officer of LaSalle Street and senior University officials. “The fact that [Chief Lopez] came to campus to meet with us really speaks highly of his commitment and the city of Durham’s commitment... in trying to help with these matters,” Dailey said. “Patrols will be [on LaSalle Street] more frequently, do more license checks in the area... and that was done this weekend.” See safety on page 5
Uni breaks ground on Learning Center by Alejandro Bolívar THE CHRONICLE
special to the chronicle
Dr. Victor Dzau, chancellor for health affairs and CEO of Duke’s health system, spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Learning Center Friday afternoon.
ONTHERECORD
“Coming Out Day used to be more like ‘Coming In Day’.... But now we’re covering the entire plaza.”
—Coming Out Day Coordinator Megan Weinand. See story page 3
Lazarus talks foreign policy in the Mideast, Page 4
2 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 the chronicle
worldandnation onschedule...
DukeEngage Week and a Half Smith Warehouse, 5:30-8p.m. Attend some of these programspecific informaton sessions to learn more about DukeEngage opportunites.
on the
Duke Police Meet and Greet with Students Marketplace, 6-7p.m. DUPD holds its first “Tips n’ Treats” series in order to discuss safety issues with students.
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Greek Life at Duke Talk Craven Quad, 8:30-9:30p.m. Todd Adams speaks about the impact of Greek Life on campus and how all students can make a postive impact.
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“Basketball season officially began at Duke on Friday with the team’s second annual Countdown to Craziness, and head coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke to the media last Thursday about his thoughts on the coming season. On captains Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler: ‘Those guys are very old in college, and then the summer that they had being on the select team has really put them in a great place to lead this group.’” — From The Chronicle’s Sports Blog sports.chronicleblogs.com
maria glod/the washington post
Wildly costumed volunteers take part in the “Field of Screams” Halloween fundraiser in Olney, Md. Organized by the Olney Boys and Girls Community Sports Association, the event attracts countless thrill-seeking visitors each year. But a for-profit organization in Pennsylvania that runs an attraction by the same name has taken the Olney group to court, claiming authority of the name.
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TUESDAY:
TODAY:
Literature is the question minus the answer. — Roland Barthes
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TODAY IN HISTORY
1685: Louis XIV revokes Edict of Nantes.
Possible foreign money French struggle to cope infiltrates vote campaigns with oil refinery strike WASHINGTON — As Democrats and Republicans spar over whether foreign money is polluting the midterm elections, a simple point is often overlooked: Hundreds of foreign corporations already play an integral and perfectly legal role in American politics through their U.S. subsidiaries. Political action committees connected to foreign-based corporations have donated nearly $60 million to candidates and parties over the past decade, including $12 million since the start of 2009, federal contribution records show. The donations must come from U.S. citizens or residents, and they make up a small fraction of overall political giving. Nonetheless, the role of foreign companies and their U.S. subsidiaries has become particularly sensitive in this year’s midterm campaigns, which have featured widesread voter dismay.
off the
wire...
Obama updates agenda
PARIS — The French government sought to guarantee fuel supplies as the country’s oil refineries remained shut by strikers trying to force President Nicolas Sarkozy to drop plans to raise the retirement age. Paris’ airports are being supplied with jet fuel and less than 2 percent of France’s service stations have run dry, Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said on Europe1 radio. Protestors gathered in about 230 cities across France Saturday against the government’s plans to raise the minimum retirement age to 62 from 60. Police said about 825,000 people marched, lower than in previous demonstrations against the measures. Unions claimed between 2.5 million and 3 million. “There is no worry about Roissy,” Bussereau said, referring to Paris’ largest airport.“It is being perfectly well supplied.”
Pope canonizes first Austrailian saint
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the chronicle
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 | 3
Students celebrate Coming Out Day At State Fair,
locals ‘come for the tradition’ by Chinmayi Sharma THE CHRONICLE
time, there has been a transformation in the visibility and impact of National Coming Out Day on campus, said junior Megan Weinand, the student coordinator for the event as well as editor-in-chief of Womyn Magazine, a student-run publication for the gay female community. “Coming Out Day used to be more like ‘Coming In Day,’” said Weinand. “It was dinner inside the Center, and when [Long] said, ‘Hey let’s put it on the plaza,’ nobody believed we could do it. But now we’re covering the entire plaza.” When Long suggested the more public venue, some students thought she was a little radical, Long wrote in an e-mail Friday. But the first year the event was hosted on the plaza, students were “thrilled” by the results, she said.
Children clinging to their mothers, girls wearing their dates’ coats and huddling groups of friends all endured cold winds while they waited—sometimes for more than an hour—to get into the North Carolina State Fair Saturday. Between Oct. 14 and 24, people will come to the Raleigh fairgrounds to “Celebrate What’s Great,” as the fair’s slogan heralds. Although people are attracted to the amusement park rides and the fatty foods from around the state, many said they come for the tradition. Eric Browning and Stephanie Wells, a young couple from the Raleigh area, said they have come to the fair every year since high school. “We come with our friends. It is a lot of fun, and we sure love it, but we come for the tradition,” Browning said. “It is pretty much the same every year—busy, but for us, I guess it’s culture not tourism.” Others spoke of the importance of maintaining the tradition in times good and bad. “People come to forget the still-recovering economy, the alarming crime rate and the prevalent poverty in North Carolina,” said Carlos Rodriguez, a father of three girls who were pulling him towards the livestock exhibit. “They come to be in the moment and take part [in] an event that has been a proud part of our history for as long as anyone can remember.” First held in 1853, the North Carolina State Fair has grown to accommodate well over 800,000 attendees
See lgbt on page 7
See fair on page 6
chelsea pieroni/The Chronicle
The LGBT community took over the Bryan Center Plaza Friday to promote awareness of LGBT issues and give away Love=Love T-shirts. by Jessica Kim THE CHRONICLE
More than 20 campus organizations set up tables Friday in support of the LGBT community among the rainbow balloons and flags on the West Campus Plaza. National Coming Out Day promotes the awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Normally celebrated Oct. 11, the Center for LGBT Life hosted a celebration Friday because Duke students were on Fall Break Oct. 11. The Center for LGBT Life distributed more than 1,500 “Love = Love” t-shirts in three hours before concluding the event with a performance by the Defining Movement dance troupe. When Janie Long became the director of the Center for LGBT Life four years ago, National Coming Out Day at Duke consisted of a quiet dinner where people shared their personal coming out stories. Since that
4 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 the chronicle
Case brings up adoption law debate
Lazarus urges awareness of Middle East
Ok-Teer-berfest
by Jie Wang
by Chinny Sharma
An ongoing case in the North Carolina Supreme Court is considering issues of “second parent” adoptions and the rights of biological parents when relationships dissolve. The custody case is reviewing whether or not Melissa Jarrell has grounds to revoke the parental privileges of her former domestic partner, said state Senator Julia Boseman. A District Court judge approved Boseman’s request to adopt Jarell’s biological son in 2005, but the couple split in 2008 and were awarded joint custody of 8-year-old Jacob. Jarrell argues, however, that the adoption was not valid in the first place. Boseman, who holds the ninth district Senate seat but is not seeking reelection this year, is arguing that because Jarrell had previously consented to the adoption, she should not be able to annul the original decision. “Statutory limitations can only void adoptions within 30 days of the adoption,” said Jim Lea, Boseman’s lawyer. “Jarrell agreed to the adoption and is now trying to use the same courts to overturn the adoption. Courts can’t submit different rulings.” In legal terms, seeking the annulment of a conclusion a party previously found satisfactory is referred to as “estoppel equitable,” said Kathy Bradley, professor of the practice in the School of Law. Previous court rulings
At a time of global strife, Neil Lazarus emphasized the importance of international political awareness, especially regarding the conflict in the Middle East, in his speech Friday. Lazarus, whose organization Awesome Seminars trains diplomats, was invited by Duke Friends of Israel to speak on the conflict between Israel Neil Lazarus and Palestine. About 20 students came to tthe event in a classroom in the Social Sciences building. In his presentation, Lazarus stressed the significance of the current political climate in the Middle East. “What is happening today is something important. Today we witness a situation where America cannot afford to have the foreign policy it has had,” Lazarus said. “If [Islamic nations] gets nuclear weapons it will throw off the balance of the Middle East and threaten the West and the world at large.” Lazarus cited an increase in the number of troops in Afghanistan, weekly bombings in Pakistan that go unnoticed by most Americans, and a stronger Iran due to a weaker Iraq as evidence that the Western world has entered a
THE CHRONICLE
See adoptions on page 7
THE CHRONICLE
tracy huang/The Chronicle
Students gathered on the Engineering Quad Friday to celebrate e-Oktoberfest with live music, games and free food and beer. The event was cohosted by Engineering Student Government.
See lazarus on page 7
the chronicle
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 | 5
safety from page 1
milam from page 1
Dailey said license checks involve stopping cars more frequently to check the validity of driver’s licenses and registrations. DPD officials were not available for comment Sunday. Although the increased number of patrols comes in response to two separate robberies on LaSalle Street reported last week, Dailey called the incidents “crimes of opportunity” and believes that students were not specifically targeted in either case. At about 9:25 a.m. Oct. 13. a female student was approached by a woman on LaSalle Street who asked to use her cell phone. After the student gave the woman her phone, the woman pushed the student to the ground and stole her backpack. The suspect was described as a black female wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with a pink vertical stripe. The following day, a male graduate student was robbed at about 10 p.m. “very close” to the location of last Wednesday’s robbery, Dailey said in an interview Thursday. The student was not seriously injured and only his cell phone was stolen. The perpetrator was described as a black, 5-foot-8-inch male in his 20s with medium skin tone. At the time of the crime, he was wearing a red and white hooded sweatshirt, Dailey added. Another student was robbed Oct. 9 on East Campus near Jarvis Dormitory shortly after 2 a.m. A stocky Hispanic male approached the female student, said he had a gun and demanded her purse. The student was able to escape the scene unharmed, and none of her property was taken. As of Sunday night, police had not identified any suspects associated with the crimes. Dailey said it is unlikely that any of the robberies are connected, given the varied descriptions of the suspects. A DukeAlert was sent to the Duke community in response to the Oct. 9 incident but not for either LaSalle Street robberies because the crimes occurred off campus. Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta notified students of both LaSalle Street robberies in separate emails following the individual incidents. The e-mails advised students to be aware of their surroundings and take safety precautions. The e-mails also directed students to DUPD’s website for safety tips. “It’s relatively common that at the start of the year we have a couple of circumstances like this,” Moneta said. “There’s a tendency for some criminals who think young students are easy targets to do just this kind of thing.... It tends not to last very long.” Moneta added that the Duke and Durham police departments meet regularly to ensure safety in the Duke area regardless of an increased number of incidents. “It’s not simply these two incidents that have brought these two [departments] together,” he said. “Students should feel good about the fact that Duke and Durham police work really well together and continue to do so.” Senior Angela Cai, who lives in the Belmont Apartments located near LaSalle Street, said the robberies have increased her awareness of personal safety, but she added that the events will not have serious implications for her habits. “I think that the only thing I can really do is be more aware of my surroundings,” Cai said. “I don’t feel incredibly unsafe in the area.... It’s just using good judgement and trying to be aware of my surroundings and avoid walking in the dark, which I would do almost anywhere.”
be around Duke for a good while yet,” he said. When Milam departs, Tim Walsh, assistant vice president and controller, will take over as interim vice president for finance. Walsh is currently responsible for Duke’s external financial reporting, payroll and accounting records. “I’m excited about the opportunity,” Walsh said. “It’s an honor to serve Duke in any capacity, but the broader your impact, the greater the honor is.” Walsh said Milam has left him and the rest of the Financial Services staff well prepared for Milam’s departure. “He’s built tremendous relationships across all of Duke and has a great deal of respect across all of Duke,” Walsh said. “He leaves Duke with a great deal of confidence because of the great team he’s leaving behind.” In his seven years at Duke, Milam worked to keep the University community informed about Duke’s fi-
**NEW** AMES 49S First Year Seminar Topic: Interethnic Intimacies Cultural politics of “interethnic intimacy” or “intercourse” as represented in Literature and visual culture from and about Asia. The course examines varying configurations of the encounters of different racial or ethnic identities, from missionaries and picture brides to movements of transnational capital and labor, from techno-Orientalism and “Asian exotica” to international adoptions, from virtual realties to military prostitution to interracial romance. Crosslisted with CULANTH 49S.01; SXL 49S.01; WOMENST 49S.01 M 4:25-6:55PM Professor Nayoung Aimee Kwon
**NEW** AMES 189S Iraqi Culture in the 20th Century Focus on Iraqi cultural production from independence in 1932 until today. Poetry, fiction, and visual arts will be studied and include Iraqi poets who were among the pioneers of Arab feminism and of revolution in Literary form, the writings of Fuad Tekerli, Dhunoon Ayyub and Jabra Ibrahim Jabra, Jewish authors who migrated to Israel in the 1950s, and short fictions, films and blogs reflecting on the impact of state violence under Saddam Hussein and of international wars on life in Iraq. MW 2:50-4:05 Professors miriam cooke and Abdul Sattar Jawad
**NEW** AMES 118S Religion and Culture in Korea Want to understand Korean religion and culture? Here it is! This course introduces you to the dynamics of contemporary Korean religions: Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam and new religions. Crosslisted with REL 161YS.01 W 11:40-2:10 PM Professor Hwansoo Kim
**NEW** AMES 195 Reading the Qur’an Literary interpretations of the Qur’an; Qur’an as scripture; Qur’an as oral recitation (listening to the Qur’an); Qur’an as text and book; writing down the Qur’an; mystical dimensions of the Qur’an; relationship between Sunna (the model of the prophet) and the Qur’an; relationship of Qur’an to Bible and to “the people of the book” (Jews and Christians); Qur’an in its historical context; sciences of the Qur’an; interpretations of the Qur’an; politics of the Qur’an; women and the Qur’an. TTH 11:40-12:55 PM Professor Ellen McLarney
AMES 133 Global Chinese Cities Consideration of the global Chinese city as an object of cultural representation, as well as an engine of cultural representation. Crosslisted with VISUALST105J.01; CULANTH 1.01A.01; ICS 121H.01; LIT 165L.01 TUTH 1:15-2:30PM; M 7:15-9:30PM Professor Carlos Rojas AMES 139 Poetic Cinema An inquiry into sources of “resonance” in international cinema with emphasis on films from Asia and the Middle East. Aspects of film construction which conduce to intense experience for viewers. Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Darezhan Omirbaev, Nacer Khemir, Tsai Ming Liang and others. Crosslisted with VISUALST 139.01; AMI 111P.01 MW 1:15-2:30PM Professor Satti Khanna **NEW** AMES 152 Anime: Origins, Forms, Mutations Examination of both the historical origins of Japanese anime, as well as its status as art, narrative, and genre. We will also look at the ways in which anime ‘mutates’: formally (its relationship to literature, manga, live action film), culturally (fashion, otaku, and fan communities), geographically (the way it influences, borrows from, and resonates with animation and live action cinemas around the world). W 1:30-4:00 PM Professor Eileen Cheng-yin Chow
AMES 184 Music in East Asia East Asian musicians and their instruments, genres, performance traditions, and contexts Crosslisted with MUSIC 134.01; REL 161E.01 M 7:15-9:45 PM Professor Jonathan Kramer
courtney douglas/Chronicle file photo
dukechronicle.com
Department of Asian & Middle Eastern Studies Literature and culture courses offered Spring 2011 For more information please contact 668-2603
AMES 175 World of Korean Cinema The world of Korean cinema, broadly defined in terms of national, generic, theoretical boundaries, beyond conventional auteur, genre, one-way influence, and national cinema theories. Crosslisted with LIT 112G.01; AMI 111G.01; VISUALST 105F.01; CULANTH 161A.01 W 4:25-6:55PM Professor Nayoung Aimee Kwon
After two students were robbed last week on LaSalle Street, Duke and Durham police have instituted additional safety measures in the area.
nancial situation and improved the handling of research funds. He also guided Duke’s transition to an electronic payroll system and dealt with the effects of the recession. “He’s done many good things to make our financial affairs more solid,” Trask wrote in an e-mail. “He’s been especially good in research compliance and in helping us work through recent endowment issues.” Trask said a search for a new vice president for finance will begin around the end of the calendar year. Duke will consider both internal and external candidates, and Walsh said he is interested in taking on Milam’s role permanently. Walsh already has the backing of his former boss. “Personally, I’ll be very disappointed if he’s not my successor,” Milam said. “He certainly has my full support and confidence.”
AMES 188 Modern Chinese Cinema Beginning with a five-week film series on New Taiwan Cinema since the 1980s, this course introduces to students contemporary masterpieces of Chinese language cinemas of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, including globally renown filmmakers like Zhang Yimou, Wong Kar-Wai, and Tsai Ming-Liang. Crosslisted with LIT 112J.01; AMI 111A.01; VISUALST 105G.01 TH 2:50-5:20; M 7:15-9:30 Professor Guo-Juin Hong
AMES 195S.01 Mystical Literature Exploration and examination of the tradition of mysticism in Literature of world and British and American writers, introducing the student to numerous genres and Literary works that manifest a deep religious attitude or experience as a way of life and cross-cultural phenomenon. TUTH 2:50-4:05 PM Professor Abdul Sattar Jawad **NEW** AMES 195S.02/252S.01 Human Rights in Islam Traces a genealogy of human rights thought in Islamic cultures and societies—not only how it has been used by Muslims, but against them. Explores how ideas like freedom, equality, human rights, and women’s emancipation became conceptually integrated into Islamic thought, and how these concepts were assimilated, adapted, and transformed. Crosslisted with REL 185S.08/245S.01 TH 3:05-5:35 PM Professor Ellen McLarney **NEW** AMES 195S.03 Urban Violence in India Exploration of the causes of urban violence in contemporary India through examining the construction of ethnic, religious, caste, and class identities. Working with theories of urban violence from different disciplines as well as primary sources including media, NGO reports, statements from the Government of India, and films, the course aims at a nuanced understanding of the causes of urban violence in contemporary India. Crosslisted with CULANTH 180S.03; POLSCI 195BS.02: SOCIAL 196S.14 WF 11:40-12:55 PM Professor Ami V. Shah **NEW** AMES 201 Documentary and East Asian Cultures Focus on documentary films from East Asia, including China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan, studying the specific historical and social context of each while attending to their interconnected histories and cultures. Crosslisted with AMI 211.01; DOCST 207.01 TU 2:50-5:20 PM Professor Guo-Juin Hong AMES 250S Chinese Media & Pop Culture Current issues of contemporary Chinese media and popular culture within the context of globalization. Crosslisted with ISIS 255.01 TU 3:05-5:35 PM Professor Kang Liu
6 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 the chronicle
fair from page 3
Girl, put your records on
each year. The goal promotes intrastate fraternity and altruism, with specific days catering to senior citizens, commemorating men in the military and gathering food for donation to the needy. Even last year, when many fairgoers were feeling the effects of the recession, attendees still managed to donate 222,956 pounds of food as part of the Food Lion Hunger Relief Day. The fair also aims to promote small family-owned businesses from within the state. People of all backgrounds and ethnicities come from all over the state to sell foods and goods. The choices were culturally varied and ranged from “John the Greek’s” and “Tater Hut” to “Tacos and Burritos,” alongside ec-
centricities like deep-fried Snickers, Oreos and Reese’s. The fair is also full of quirky games and activities. John Thompson mans a booth in which he attempts to guess a volunteer’s age within two years and his or her weight within three pounds. If he is wrong, he gives the participant a prize. “It’s fun to meet a lot of people,” Thompson said. “I goof off at work all day, and that’s OK because this job is about having fun and making people happy.” Thompson doled out a stuffed animal to a young boy after intentionally guessing his age wrong so that the child could take home a souvenir. “There’s too much in life to take seriously. Sometimes we need to find an excuse to smile and celebrate. It’s the small stuff,” he added with a smile and a wink.
chelsea pieroni/The Chronicle
Members of the Duke community perused a wide range of vinyl records, CDs and memorabilia from across the region at WXDU’s 5th annual Record Fair, held Saturday at the Nasher Museum of Art.
caroline rogriguez/The Chronicle
North Carolina residents flocked to opening weekend of the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh to enjoy rides, fried food and the festive atmosphere. Many locals said they visit the fair out of tradition.
An Information Fair for all undergraduates! Please attend Graduate and Professional School Day 2010, where you can speak with representatives from over 85 U.S. Universities who are coming to Duke to speak with you about their graduate, law, business, and/or health professions programs of study. For juniors and seniors this is your last chance to attend, since the GPSD information fair is offered only every other year. For first- and secondyear students, GPSD is an opportunity for you to gain some early familiarity with the post-graduate options available to you, which can be important for planning purposes.
Monday, October 18 Bryan Center 11 - 3 pm Sponsored by the Dean’s Office Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
It’s Simply Spooktacular! Check the Chronicle for more information. OPERATION: University Store PUBLICATION: Chronicle
the chronicle
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 | 7
adoptions from page 4
lgbt from page 3
can only be annulled if there are legal grounds for its reversal, and in this case there may not be, she said. “One of the arguments is whether this should be a court case at all,” Bradley said. “Why should we allow her to come back and try to undo something she tried to do?” Bradley said in her opinion Boseman should win the case. The court is using the conflict as an opportunity to look at the scope of the state’s adoption statues, she added, which do not specifically permit or exclude “second parent” adoptions for gay couples. John Martin, a lawyer who is working on the case with Jarrell’s lawyer, Leslie Fritscher, said the two primary issues in the case are the constitutionally protected status of the natural parent under the due process clause and the separation of powers under the Constitution. The pivotal case could decide whether same-sex adoptions can take place if one of the partners is the biological parent of the child. Lea said if the case is overturned, it would set a precedent for other “second parent” adoption cases for gay couples. Martin said although the media has portrayed this as a case about gay rights, it applies more broadly to adoption law. Throughout the legal proceedings, though, Bradley noted that the human elements of this case are essential to keep in mind. “Second parent adoptions are perfectly fine and great for the kids. The courts should concentrate on what it means to be a family and what it means to be a parent [as well],” she said. It can be easy to forget the humanity of the case and concentrate too much on the legality of it, said senior Michelle Sohn, Duke Student Government liason for gender studies and a member of The Chronicle’s editorial board. “It’s a pretty heart-wrenching case for both sides about a kid and a family.”
Although part of the original premise of the national event was for people to publicly identify themselves as gay, at Duke the event is more of a celebration, said junior Patrick Peixoto, a volunteer for the event. “Suddenly you see a mass of people on the plaza— there are rainbow flags everywhere, there’s music blasting,” said Aliza Lopes-Baker, vice president for Blue Devils United. “It’s a very festive celebration of LGBT life at Duke, and it’s one of the few days we get to celebrate so openly with allies.” Weinand said the event highlighted the growing support for the community at Duke. Since her freshman year, she said she has noticed more rainbow flags on campus. The progress is encouraging for closeted people, she added, because for many Duke students coming out is not a one-time event but a continual process.
lazarus from page 4 period he called “the rise of the green flag of Islam.” Throughout his speech, Lazarus encouraged all students to educate themselves about the details of the Middle Eastern conflict and explained that understanding is the first step toward ending the conflict. Nuclear terrorism is an imminent threat, Lazarus said. To help prevent it, one must be adept in numerous areas of knowledge, including geography, politics, history, religion, economics and diplomacy, he said. One student questioned America’s role in resolving the Middle Eastern conflict after Lazarus showed a clip of President Barack Obama’s speech at Cairo University. In the speech, Obama spoke about the administration’s desire to forge a healthy relationship between Americans and Muslims worldwide. “Obama I think is important for one simple reason— you can’t understand what is going on in the Middle East without understanding American foreign policy,” Lazarus responded. “America fights Iran like they’ve always fought them: If you can’t beat them, surround them. What is that? Cold War containment.” However, Lazarus added, one must also understand Israeli geography and economics to realize that if the country were to attack Iran, as some propose it should, Iran could simply block the major strait that facilitates some of Israel’s trade. Lazarus claimed this course of action could trigger a regional war. In an attempt to relate the speech to Coming Out Day, which was also Friday, Lazarus said he believed anyone who is liberal should support Israel during the crisis, because it is the most progressive nation in the Middle East. He noted that Israel has five gay pride parades a year and openly gay soldiers in the army. Lazarus concluded his speech by reminding his audience of his main purpose for being there—to speak the truth and discuss facts. “People don’t like to talk, they like to heckle,” he added. “In my profession we have had to get pretty good at ducking shoes and that is sad.” Also in attendance was Shelley Castaldi, director of Academic and Cultural Affairs at the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta. The consulate works to facilitate communication between America and Israel in the fields of medicine, academics, law and culture. “It is important to listen to renowned speakers such as Mr. Lazarus,” she said. “However, I want to try and show that Israel is so much more than the conflict.” Sophomore Samantha Tropper, DFI vice president for membership, said one of the organization’s goals behind Lazarus’s presentation was to separate Israeli culture from Judaism. She said people do not need to be Jewish in order to support Israel.
“Are there closeted people on campus? Yes, because I know them. Are there out people on campus? Yes, because I know them. People are always progressing on this journey of coming out,” Weinand said. Still, students and administrators noted room for improvement. Challenges include a high level of heteronormativity and gender conformity, a lack of openly LGBT faculty, a residential system with limited housing and bathroom options for transgender students and few outlets for social activity on campus for same-sex partners, Long said. Damon Seils, a senior research analyst for the Duke Clinical Research Institute who also serves as co-chair for Duke’s LGBT Task Force, noted the long-term nature of changes in attitude. “It’s really great that there’s noticeable improvement on student engagement on these issues. But I don’t know if that’s yet translated in changes in attitude because things like that don’t change overnight,” he said.
8 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 the chronicle
learning center from page 1 medical school, acting as “the connective tissue between the Outpatient Clinic and the Cancer Research Building,” said Dr. Nancy Andrews, vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. She added that she hopes the Learning Center will act as a reRichard Brodhead cruitment tool for prospective students. The lead gift for the construction of the Learning Center was a $35 million contribution from the Charlotte-based Duke Endowment. Administrators said they hope the Learning Center will strengthen Duke’s position as a leader in medical education, which has seen a shift from classroombased learning toward health care that is patient-focused and team-based. President Richard Brodhead noted that the groundbreaking coincides the 100th anniversary of the Carnegie Foundation-commisioned Flexner Report,
which proposed a new model of medical education that includes high standards for admission, scientific training and placing medical schools within the research environments of universities. “We know the way to train people in medical careers is not to take them apart but to train them to work as a team,” Brodhead said. Dzau said the Learning Center will be built Victor Dzau with flexibility that will allow the building to adapt future technologies that do not even exist yet. The sixth floor of the building has 15,000 additional square feet for future expansion. Dzau noted that the building is specifically designed to reflect how medical education is expected to look a decade from now. “The type of student attracted to Duke is different,” said Duke Endowment trustee Dr. K.D. Weeks, Medicine ’74. “We need to educate that student to not just embrace reform but also lead it.”
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 | 9
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Lambda Gamma Beta Tau trending up?
W
hat up fam? Long time no see. I can only self a Gossip Bro, and meanwhile the loudest and hope everyone’s recovering nicely from proudest dirty rush event that frat-kind has ever a heady Fall Break and a top-notch Tail- witnessed is going on right under my nose! And gate (a combination of day drinking I’ve never even heard of them! and plenty of Bromega-3 fratty acids I tried to keep my cool, and I should do the trick) and ready to rewas eventually able to escape withcommence the yearlong frat party. out too much ado (except for one Speaking of all things fraternal, bro who kept insisting that I come there’s a lot of contention these to “Legends” that night, which I days surrounding the questions of just assumed was some Nickelodethe “best frat” and which frats are on-themed party they were having “trending” up or down. Well, last monday, monday at their off-campus house). All in week I decided to give the issue all the brothers were really nice, gossip bro some thought, just for some semand just generally excited to have blance of personal closure, when so many freshmen “coming out” to something happened that made the proverbial join their frat. wicket much more sticky. When I got home, I did some more research on Allow me to set the scene: It’s Friday afternoon, the Lambda Gamma Beta Taus to sate my piqued and I’m stumbling through the Bryan Center in a interest and in general they seem like chill bros seemingly futile attempt to escape the Nonprofit who like to get effed up. The pledging seems a and Government Career Fair (aka the Five-Figure little weird, from what some Internet searches Career Fair) before I get bedazzled with Obama yielded, but to me it seems like the only thing pins and PETA stickers. I finally make my way out holding them back from escaping mid-tier fratthe door of that drunkenly architected excuse for dom is their branding. Their colors, their music, a “handicap accessible” campus center and onto a their costumes? It all seemed so strange to me, so plaza that’s spraying mist while it’s raining (again, I had to get to the bottom of it. I’m supposed to believe there’s a water crisis and I scoured Google and Wikipedia for a reason— an economic recession?), only to behold a sight any reason—why the LGBTs chose a color scheme even more bizarre than nonprofits trying to re- that’s just so... busy. I came up with nothing. I cruit intelligent students. mean rainbows? From my experience with selfThe plaza was thronged with people, “Work conscious freshmen concerned about projecting It” by the great Mrs. Elliot was blaring over loud- masculinity, I just can’t imagine too many rushees speakers that only a Tailgate could love and ev- will see a rainbow and say, “Oh sick bro, I wanna erywhere I looked there were rainbow flags, bal- join that frat.” And then there are those costumes loons and other flamboyant fallaleries festooning they wear at their national conventions. Like, it’s the once austere-looking walkway. As I hesitantly not about your personal preferences or what goes moved closer to the carousal, the only question on at your frat’s late nights—no one cares about that I needed to have answered was the same ques- that. It’s just that the general population would tion that pops into my head whenever I see large probably get weirded out at anybody wearing fairy groups of decent-looking men in a spectrum of wings and assless chaps on a float in the middle pastels flirting with freshman boys. of New York City, no matter what frat he pays his “What frat is this?” dues to. I must have asked it aloud, because one of the So here’s some advice: Make me your Rush brothers approached me and answered cheerfully, Chair, go for a more badass color scheme (some“It’s Coming Out Day!” Still confused, I checked thing like black and red, with some fratty medieval out his frat-gear, all of which was emblazoned with weapons crossed above an heraldic escutcheon), the letters LGBT. While I had never heard of the register for a spot at Tailgate and channel all the Lambda Gamma Beta Tau fraternity before (I crazy costumes into dressing for said Tailgate. If think he mentioned something about it being the that doesn’t increase the talent in the next LGBT Gamma Alpha Upsilon chapter), I looked around pledge class, you can hit me up via Letter to the and suddenly it hit me. The free drinks I was given, Editor and we’ll collab on a new game plan. the phone numbers I received, the party invites... My God! Here I am on my high horse, calling myUpgrade to Gossip Bro Pro for only $9.99 a month!
the chronicle
An answer to “can I afford it?”
I
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 | 11
commentaries
was watching NBC’s “The Apprentice” (where, when applying to the school. Sure, if you fit into not surprisingly a Duke grad managed to look certain categories or meet criteria, you will know egotistical and self-absorbed in a show about how much you will pay, but there is quite a large people vying for jobs) when a comgray area of students who do not mercial during a break informed know the cost of their attendance me that a student in Peru couldn’t (or at least an estimate) before they go to college there because she apply to the school. couldn’t afford the $700 tuition. It And this causes a lot of people had the depressing music and all, to think otherwise, especially as the and just begged you to give a little early decision deadline approaches. for the future of the world. From my understanding, early deIt’s great that our country has a cision is intended for people who thirst for helping less fortunate na- antonio segalini know that they want to go to Duke tions, but the fact remains that the above all other schools rather than musings yearly cost for attending a substanthose who feel that they love Duke tial number of U.S. universities is only under the condition that they more than $50,000. We go to a school that reflects can afford to attend it at the price (give or take a that. For 2010, the cost of attending Duke is about few dollars) dictated by the acceptance letter. $53,390. The number is simply staggering for most The steps that the Financial Aid Office has people, and the words tuition costs are a red flag taken have created more firm numbers for people for many seniors. to look at. But the gray area is so large that it conSo in order to try to persuade some of those sumes most of the students that attend. Instead of students to reconsider, our financial aid office has putting them at ease, the Financial Aid Office and created a plan: Let them know that there are great Duke administrators have given them statistics and financial aid packages and that there are some general information as a sort of comfort. people who, because of their circumstances, can Those low-income individuals who are trying to actually attend this grand university for no cost. make the jump to Duke early decision need more In 2004, Provost Peter Lange talked with The than comfort, though. The easiest of all solutions, Chronicle about updates to financial aid—includ- and the only way Duke University can stand by its ing the idea that outside scholarships would cut claim to “accept the best students, regardless of fiinto loans before grant money—and said, “[The nancial situation” or to be “need blind” is to give changes] are designed to assure that the experi- people firm numbers about what they are paying ence of our aided students comes as close as pos- or will pay. sible to the experience of unaided students.” The We all know that there is some method that the University started the Financial Aid Initiative, Financial Aid Office uses to tell students how much which has now put in place the idea that parents they will be paying each semester. We all know that who earn less than $60,000 in yearly income are no there are some financial indicators (income, aslonger expected to pay tuition. Furthermore, loans sets, cost of living, etc.) that become variables in a are no longer part of the financial aid package for large equation that shoots out a magic number. families making less than $40,000 a year, instead Why isn’t that number available, though? Why they are replaced by grants; loans have been re- does that equation not become public knowledge, duced for families with incomes between $60,000 so that all students know what they will have to pay and $100,000 and are capped at $5,000 per year before they get to campus? for families that earn more than $100,000. See, the equation would end all worrying about In a Chronicle letter to the editor in Septem- what students have to pay, and whether or not they ber 2008, co-chairs of the Financial Aid Initiative can afford the costs of a Duke education. It would Student Advisory Committee said, “the adminis- even prevent the whole “can I afford it?” question tration is focused on affording students from all from interfering with someone’s decision to apply economic backgrounds the opportunity to attend early decision. It becomes a (somewhat) simple Duke.” question with a (kind of) simple answer. Beautiful, isn’t it? This doesn’t even account Duke publishes the percentiles on SAT scores, for the $308 million that the Financial Aid Initia- ACT scores, GPA and even talks about how many tive netted in fundraising (assuming all donors do valedictorians apply (and get rejected) and where donate, which is actually something I must state people come from, both in geographic and racial because of recent events). Financial aid at Duke sense. Now, Duke has the opportunity to take the is amazing for those who attend the University. lead in making the financial aid, application and Honestly, it might even give students more than acceptance process a little more transparent. they need (please do not audit my financial docuSo why not publish financial aid equations? ments, Duke). However, the financial aid program at Duke Antonio Segalini is a Trinity sophomore. His column does nothing for students who want to feel at ease runs every Monday.
Where are we safe?
D
uke students are well aware of the crime that occurs on and around campus. Despite the illusion of the Duke bubble, students travel outside campus all the time, whether it’s to head back to their off-campus apartments or just to grab a bite to eat at Chipotle. We know that we live in a city and that we are constantly surrounded by the associated dangers that come with the territory. To that end, most of us have enough common sense to follow the basic rules of campus safety. We know to lock our doors and keep an eye on our laptops in the library. We generally stay away doris jwo from walking alone on the fringes of two points for campus after dark and try to use the honesty Duke Vans service (formerly known as SafeRides) when possible. As students around campus all the time, we also know exactly where there are gaps in security and, just as importantly, gaps in responsibility for students’ safety. But, as students with busy schedules, we can’t always control when we have to travel around campus and off campus around the clock. For example, Duke Vans run from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., but would a student living on Central Campus who needs to ePrint their homework at midnight call a Duke Van to drive a street over to the closest ePrint station? Probably not, but then who is responsible if that student runs into trouble on the way over? What about the student who lives just off campus and must walk to Science Drive at odd hours to check on his lab work? Because Duke Vans only provides service from campus to certain off-campus locations, not the other way around, that option isn’t even available. And, as it turns out, you can get mugged in the daytime too. The female student who was robbed on LaSalle Street last week was out walking at 9:25 a.m. Is it the Duke or Durham Police Department that is responsible for improving patrols in that area? You could argue that students living off campus should be aware of these dangers and arrange for other means of transportation. But, many students choose to live off campus because rent is significantly lower. More relevantly, with Duke’s housing limitations, we simply don’t have room for all students on campus. Given the situation, the responsibility falls on Duke to ensure safety for students who live just off campus because such areas are essentially an extension of the Duke campus. In the federally mandated annual Clery Security Report that Duke releases, crimes committed on “all public property, including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks and parking facilities, that is within the campus, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus” are included in the statistics offered. This suggests that crimes committed in the LaSalle area are covered in the report. When Duke Police patrols, campus “help phones” and Duke Vans fail students, what’s next? If the solution is to ask the Durham Police Department to step up patrols, it is neither responsible nor sufficient. When I met last month with Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education Steve Nowicki to discuss the Campus Council house model proposal, we spoke briefly about improving safety on Central. “If you look at the statistics,” he said, “Central Campus is not actually an unsafe place.” He commented, however, that the administration had discussed adding security cameras to Central to make students feel safer. From last week’s string of robberies and in looking at past crime data, it is true that crime is not isolated on Central and is probably not significantly more prevalent there either. If the idea of security cameras is being considered for Central, however, then why not consider them for the rest of campus? In 2005, Johns Hopkins began using a “smart” closed-circuit TV system that alerts operators in their Communications Center when suspicious activity is taking place on their 140-acre Homewood campus. Such cameras are programmed to look for strange activity such as slow-moving vehicles, odd patterns of movement, abandoned objects, etc. Partly because of this system and despite its location within the city of Baltimore, Hopkins was ranked number one in 2008 by Reader’s Digest in its campus safety and security survey and 20th for low crime in a simultaneous study. Duke did not participate in the campus safety survey, but the University was placed 244th out of 285 schools in Reader’s Digest’s low crime ranking. Since Duke’s campus is much larger than Hopkins’ Homewood campus, security cameras would be significantly more expensive. But, if placed in strategic locations where students are likely to be walking alone, it could cut down on robberies near Campus Drive, Erwin Road, the area behind the Marketplace, etc. If not security cameras, perhaps it’s time Duke considers other innovative solutions for filling in the security gaps because it is unequivocally responsible for all aspects of student safety, on or off campus. For motivation, just take a look at our Reader’s Digest ranking and imagine that was our men’s basketball ranking for the season. Coach K would probably have a fit. Maybe the Duke Police Department should, too. Doris Jwo is a Trinity senior. Her column runs every other Monday.
12 | MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010 the chronicle