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
The Chronicle
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 15
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
Top DUHS Class of 2014 gathers for inaugural admin takes Sophomore Convocation ceremony nat’l post by Andrew Karim THE CHRONICLE
Just 383 days after their Freshman Convocation ceremony, members of the Class of 2014 filled the Duke Chapel to witness the first-ever Sophomore Convocation. The primary focus of the ceremony was to address the impact of the sophomore slump, a common experience where some students’ second year does not live up to the first-year experience. “With a large portion of the juniors studying abroad and a lot of seniors preoccupied with life after Duke, [sophomores] are truly the shapers of Duke,” said Class of 2014 President Andrew Hanna, a sophomore who was central in organizing the convocation. Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost for undergraduate education, and Dean of Students Sue Wasiolek followed Hanna’s remarks and assured the sophomore students that the year ahead would be difficult but manageable nonetheless. Wasiolek affirmed the necessity of the sophomore-specific ceremony, as she noted that less attention has been placed on the sophomore class in previous years. After being united as a class on East Campus, she added, it can be hard for relationships to remain tight after the move to West Campus. “It is often said that sophomore year is the toughest because students no longer feel motivated,” Wasiolek said. Sophomores often feel urgency in deciding a major and career path, she added.
by Nicole Kyle THE CHRONICLE
A top administrator in the Duke University Health System is leaving to pursue a national opportunity this fall. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Cuffe will take over as president and CEO of physician services for Hospital Corporation of America Healthcare, the company announced Tuesday. Cuffe, who also serves as vice president for ambulatory services, put in his resignation from the University and DUHS Tuesday, though Cuffe will not join HCA until Oct. 26, said Dr. Victor Dzau, chancellor for health affairs and president and chief executive officer for DUHS. “This is a significant opportunity for him, obviously,” Dzau said. “It’s an even bigger job than what he has right now. It’s a much larger position, managing a growing physicians network.” The Tennessee-based hospital company is one of the nation’s leading providers of health care services. It manages more than 160 hospitals across the nation and serves approximately 18 million patients per year. Dzau said to his knowledge, HCA approached Cuffe about three to four months ago. “There was some discussion that he SOPHIA PALENBERG/THE CHRONICLE
SEE CUFFE ON PAGE 5
A cappella group The Pitchforks closed the Convocation ceremony with a performance of the Alma Mater.
SEE CONVOCATION ON PAGE 6
Vote will decide possible tax University responds to raise to fund transit system dip in US News ranking by Jack Mercola THE CHRONICLE
This fall, buses and trains will make their way into Triangle area ballot boxes. Durham County residents will vote Nov. 8 on a referendum concerning transit in the area. If the referendum passes, an additional half-cent sales tax will be imposed on various goods, and the resulting tax revenue will be used to provide improved public transportation throughout the local and regional areas, including a light rail system said David King, Triangle Transit CEO and general manager. Goods and expense that will not be subject to this potential tax include food, medicine, gasoline, utilities and housing costs. “The Triangle is expecting an additional 1.2 million people in the next 20
U.S. businesses increase spending on social media, Page 4
years,” he said. “We are on the verge of choking on our own success. Our high quality of life is at risk.” King spoke at a sparsely attended information session on the proposed tax increase Monday afternoon. Transportation Demand Coordinator Brian Williams said that though he cannot comment as to whether the University supports this referendum, he believes an increase in offerings would generally promote an increase in use. “The more options students have, the more likely they would use public transportation,” Williams wrote in an email Tuesday. “Duke Parking and Transportation works with the city of Durham and transit providers to make it easier SEE VOTE ON PAGE 4
by Gloria Lloyd THE CHRONICLE
After a fleeting rise in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, Duke has returned to No. 10—its lowest position in a decade. According to the 2012 rankings released Tuesday, Duke dropped from No. 9 last year to No. 10—the same position it held two years ago. In the 2011 rankings, Duke shared ninth place with University of Chicago and Dartmouth College, but this year it was ranked alone, following a five-way tie for fifth place. Regardless of where the University is ranked, rankings are not a large factor for potential Duke applicants, Director of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag said. “I will say that in the 19 years that I’ve
Beck, Duncan record top-10 finishes at Cougar Classic, Page 8
been here, I can’t remember the last time a student or parent who I’ve met has mentioned the rankings,” Guttentag said. “We know that this is something that sells magazines. We know that there’s always chatter in the media about rankings.” Guttentag said even though the rankings themselves do not provide much information to potential students, the raw data used to compile the rankings could be helpful if it were given to students on a CD-ROM along with the print edition. Students could then weigh that data according to what factors they think are important in schools. Freshman Jackie Pfeiffer said the U.S. News rankings had no effect on her decision to attend Duke. SEE RANKING ON PAGE 5
Why Duke needs to start throwing the ball, Page 7
2 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011
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worldandnation
$2M donation helps Romney in campaign
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Running for president is an expensive process. And being president is an aging experience. Which makes the bond between Republican candidate Mitt Romney and Utah businessman Steve Lund look like a near-perfect union. Two companies linked to Lund—a founder of Nu Skin, which specializes in anti-aging creams—have donated $2 million to Romney’s primary campaign. Sums like that would until recently have been the prize of the general election. But they are playing a new role in primaries this year, thanks to the evolution of committees known as super PACs. The bonds between Romney and Lund look more than skin deep.Both are successful businessmen who have turned small companies into billion-dollar enterprises — Romney by buying cheap companies and Lund by selling expensive skin creams. Both served in leadership positions of the Mormon church.
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Fall Career Fair Bryan Center, 10a.m.-3p.m. Employer representatives (some of whom may be Duke alumni) from many sectors, will be participating. Any Duke student or alumna/us are invited to attend.
Landscape Plants for N.C. Gardens: Fall Sarah P. Duke Gardens, 1-3p.m. Bobby Mottern will teach students identification skills, design use and how to understand the culture of each plant.
Older teens benefit least Al Qaeda could lose from driving restrictions ‘operational capabilities’ NEW YORK — Older teen drivers are more likely to have fatal crashes in states with restrictions aimed at protecting inexperienced young drivers in a study that may spur policy makers to reevaluate the programs, according to research released Tuesday.
Where NC Needs to Go Sanford School, 4:30-6p.m. Rep. Ruth Samuelson, the first female Majority Whip in the N.C. State Legislature, will discuss her first six months on the job. This is part of the Sanford series on U.S. politics.
WASHINGTON,D.C. — The nation’s top intelligence officials said Tuesday that al Qaeda’s affiliates have eclipsed the terrorist network’s core as national security threats and that, within two years, continued pressure could render al Qaeda remnants in Pakistan incapable of carrying out attacks.
Screen/Society �Nobody Knows� White 107, 8-10p.m. Students are invited to come to enjoy the Japanese movie “Nobody Knows.“
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1862: North and South clash at the Battle of South Mountain.
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“Getting around campus is often an issue for students with disabilities. While the bus drivers are very good about being patient... and willing to wait for a straggler or two who isn’t as quick to board as the rest of the students, there are only so many places one can go with a bus.� — From The Chronicle’s News Blog bigblog.dukechronicle.com
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An American national flag hangs in an Iraqi palace. Now the headquarters of the U.S. military in Iraq, it was once a city unto itself, teeming with 46,000 troops and four-star generals plotting their next moves from Saddam Hussein’s old palaces. In a few months, the American troops will leave.
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 | 3
Duke neuroscience team trains surgeons in Africa by Shucao Mo THE CHRONICLE
A Duke medical team is aiming to improve health care in Africa. Dr. Michael Haglund, a professor of neurosurgery at the School of Medicine, led a team of 16 medical professionals—composed of neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, intensive care unit nurses, radiographers and other specialists from Duke and the Triangle—on a medical trip to Kenya Sept 2-11. The trip marked his sixth expedition to Africa with a medical team. The team conducted operations on 25 patients in collaboration with the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya, with the goal of strengthening health systems in the country. “[By traveling there] I had a better feel for the number of surgeons and the amount of medical equipment needed [for the hospital],” Haglund added. The team selected a patient group with different brain and spinal conditions to demonstrate a variety of complex medical practices to 16 Kenyan neurosurgeons in training. The team transferred useful skills to local nurses and surgeons. “We were basically passing on tricks— the way we do things in the States,” Haglund explained. The medical operations were successful, Haglund noted. He performed surgery on one man who had an arrow penetrating four inches deep into his skull. After the surgery, the patient was still in critical condition, but he had a better chance to survive. The lack of technology often prevents an earlier diagnosis for many African patients. For example, one patient had a tumor about the size of a “softball,” Haglund said.
In another case, a young girl had a pair of scissors lodged in her spinal cord. She recovered and left the hospital two days after the surgery. Though two-thirds of the members had gone on medical trips to Africa multiple times, the rest the experience—both culturally and professionally—was very different from what they had encountered at home, Haglund said. “It’s fun to watch the eyes of the rookies when they see everything for the first time, and then we have the veterans to make sure everything goes well,” Haglund said. The difference also exposes one of the most fundamental problems in African countries—a shortage of medical equipment, specialists and financial resources—that brought the medical team from North Carolina. In Uganda and Rwanda, there is one neurosurgeon for every five million people, Haglund noted. In comparison, the U.S. has one per every 75,000 people. Dr. Florentius Koech, who worked with Haglund, is the only neurosurgeon in western Kenya and one of only 12 in the entire country. “There was no [modern] technology so they were doing things we used to do in the 1930s at Duke. They would use a hand drill to open the skull, like one of those wood shop drills,” Haglund explained. “In the U.S. we use nitrogenpowered high-speed drills.” The team raised $150,000 to cover its expenses for the past two trips to Africa. Aside from the support of the Duke Global Health Institute, donations from Haglund’s patients in the U.S. covered 10 percent of the trip’s cost.
Duke University Chapel
Organ Recitals 2011-12
This entire trip contributes to the mission of DGHI, which aims to address health disparities around the world, said Dr. Michael Merson, founding director of the DGHI and the vice president and vice provost for Global Strategy and Programs. After his previous medical trips to Rwanda and Uganda, Haglund helped initiate Duke Global Health Placement of Life-changing Usable Surplus, a program now administered through the Duke Global Health Institute, that delivers medical equipment to developing countries. “We get the new fancy things here,” Haglund said. “Rather than giving equipment
away to liquidators for pennies on the dollar we give it to faculty for projects around the world. ” In total, Haglund delivered 25 tons of medical equipment, worth $5 million, to hospitals in Uganda. Dr. Victor Dzau, chancellor for health affairs and president and CEO of the Duke University Health System, commended the success of this trip. “Patients are being helped—even saving one life makes a difference in the world,” Dzau said. “It provides staff an opportunity to express their compassion and to work together as a team.” Julian Spector contributed reporting.
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The Duke medical team performed 25 surgeries over the course of their visit to Africa.
Duke in France/EDUCO Information Session
DAVID ARCUS Sunday, September 18 2:30 & 5:00 p.m. Duke Chapel Free admission David Arcus is the Associate University Organist and Chapel Organist at Duke, as well as the Divinity School Organist and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Sacred Music. He opens this year’s Organ Recital Series on the Brombaugh organ in the Memorial Chapel with music by South and Central German composers, including Schlick, Hassler, Erbach, Muffat, Kerll, Froberger, Poglietti, Pachelbel, and Bach. This program will be presented at 2:30 p.m. and again at 5:00 p.m.
Organ Recitals 2011-12
DUKE UNIVERSITY CHAPEL ◆ SUNDAYS AT 5:00 PM October 16, 2011 November 13, 2011 January 29, 2012 February 26, 2012 March 18, 2012
Wilma Jensen Andrew Unsworth David Arcus Dongho Lee Robert Parkins
Thursday, September 15 5:00 pm Languages 305 Students of all majors are invited to learn more about the Duke in France/ EDUCO semester and academic year program. Hundreds of courses are available in most disciplines. For more details, visit the GEO-U website, call 684-2174, or e-mail globaled@duke.edu.
Global Education Office for Undergraduates
global.duke.edu/geo
4 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011
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Duke survey shows social media spending on the rise by Patton Callaway THE CHRONICLE
Twitter and Facebook are quickly becoming staples in U.S. companies’ marketing strategies. According to the latest Chief Marketing Officer Survey conducted twice per year by Duke University, companies predicted they will increase spending on social media by as much as 10.4 percent over the next five years. With 249 responses from major U.S. companies, the survey revealed an increased emphasis on social media as a part of businesses’ marketing strategy. “Effective use of social media is no longer an option for companies,” Christine Moorman, the T. Austin Finch senior professor of business administration at the Fuqua School of Business and the director of the CMO Survey, said in a Sept. 6 news release. “Going forward, companies that most effectively deploy social media will be best positioned to serve their client bases. This is particularly true as digitally savvy customers assume a greater percentage of buying power and as these customers assume higher and higher positions in companies.” Moorman said considering the current state of the economy, the increases in social media spending are surprising. She added that although businesses may feel pessimistic about the economy, it is not stopping them from spending a considerable amount of money on marketing.
“This spending may also help reignite customer interest to open their wallets and thereby stimulate growth and pave the way for a better economy for all of us,” she said. Although the CMO Survey found no direct correlation between social media advertising and increased revenue, some local businesses believe in direct benefits from social media strategies. Durham’s popular frozen yogurt shop Local Yogurt has seen increased sales due to social media, said Kiya Ward, director of Local Yogurt’s marketing department. Utilizing Facebook and Twitter to highlight specific daily promotions such as buy-one-get-onefree deals and daily specials, Local Yogurt also uses a blog to post specific details about upcoming events. “My favorite thing is when we put up a picture of a specific frozen yogurt combination, and then customers come in and say, ‘I saw the picture on Facebook, and I want that,’” Ward said. Ward added that due to Local Yogurt’s success with a hands-on marketing approach, the company plans on increasing its social media presence— from 45 percent to 55 percent of its marketing strategy in the next year. “Everybody wants to be talked to and heard, and [social media] gives people a medium to talk,” Ward said. “You get the opportunity to interact with them and get to know the clients better.”
VOTE from page 1 for Duke students to get around without needing a car.” The half-cent increase would raise sales tax in Durham County from 7.75 percent to 8.25 percent. If the referendum passes this November, Orange and Wake County residents may consider a similar half-cent sales tax for transit in 2012. Under the proposed transportation projects, the Bull City Connector would undergo major improvements in the next 18 months, King said. Buses will run every 10 minutes and be larger in capacity. By 2018, a commuter rail system would span from the Duke Hospital to Raleigh as well as several other cities in the Triangle. In the following six years, there would be a 20-mile light rail system running through the entire metropolitan Triangle area. “Of the total buying and consuming public, 20 to 30 percent would like to have [public transit],” King said. “We are only supplying 5 percent. The market would like more transit than we are [currently] giving.” King noted the continued growth
SEE SOCIAL MEDIA ON PAGE 6
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of the Triangle area will be stifled and wasted if more transit options are not introduced soon. Similarly, congestion will become unmanageable—a hindrance on the region’s productivity. Senior Will Reach, president of the Duke College Republicans, said that he believes cars and congestion are not the area’s most pressing issue and is opposed to the referendum. Reach noted low ridership on the Bull City Connector and the guaranteed ridership of University buses as reasons for why this tax increase is unnecessary. “It is unfair to the single mother with two kids to increase her school expenses and clothing costs simply because we’re growing an institution while everyone else is tightening their belts,” Reach said. But in addition to providing convenience to Durham County residents, King added that the proposed tax will stimulate the regional job market, noting that the commuter rail construction and maintenance would produce 2,000 jobs and the light rail project would produce 4,400. The project could have environmental benefits as well. The transit system would attempt to encourage Triangle commuters to forgo using their automobiles in favor of buses and trains and could promote more compact development around transit stations, King said. Freshman Sterling Gutierrez said, however, that there is an apparent lack of knowledge and opinion regarding the referendum at Duke. “I haven’t used public transportation often,” Gutierrez said. “But I don’t think many students are even aware that there is a referendum. There isn’t much publicity on campus.” Duke students, however, do have a role in local environmental decision-making, said Michelle Nowlin, senior lecturing fellow and supervising attorney for Duke’s Environmental Law and Policy Clinic. “I think it’s important to emphasize that students can have a significant effect on environmental issues and the future of the region, even though they’re here for a relatively short time,” she noted. Nowlin, who was in attendance at the event Monday, added that the opportunities for students in Raleigh and Chapel Hill are continually expanding and that wider transit options would allow more students to access these opportunities.
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RANKING from page 1 “I don’t think those rankings are that accurate, and I don’t think it should affect your decision,” Pfeiffer said. “There’s so much that’s more important than numbers.” Senior Alex Sloan said he does not put much stock in the rankings though he realizes that others do. “I know that a lot of people take them seriously and read a lot into them,” Sloan said. “They have to shake them up every year just to get people to read them.” Sloan has worked as a developer in The Chronicle’s online development department. Duke’s weighted composite score—the score which determines the overall ranking—was 92, two points higher than last year. The five universities that tied for fifth place scored a 93. U.S. News said it ranks universities using up to 16 indicators of academic excellence, with the factors that the magazine views as most important weighted more heavily. These factors include acceptance rates, how many people return after freshman year and undergraduate academic reputation.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 | 5
Harvard, Princeton and Yale universities received the top three spots, with Harvard and Princeton tied at No. 1 for the second year in a row. Most of the same universities have been in the top 10 for the last several years. The rankings, however, can give a false sense of precision about qualities that are difficult to measure, said Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations. “All rankings like this do is confirm the conventional wisdom,” Schoenfeld said. He added that administrators do not believe a small change in year-to-year rankings affect the University’s overall reputation or applicant and alumni relations. “Applications, the quality of students who come here and their academic records, yield, fundraising—all those metrics, we see no impact,” Schoenfeld said. The Pratt School of Engineering also slid in this year’s rankings—coming in at No. 31. Last year, the school tied for No. 22, rising from No. 26 in the previous year. Duke’s biomedical engineering program remained in the top five— ranked No. 3 this year and No. 2 previously.
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Duke has remained in the top 10 for the entirety of the past decade, but has fallen from a high of No. 4 in 2003 to a current ranking of No. 10.
CUFFE from page 1 had been being recruited and looking at this position at HCA,” Dzau said. “They were looking for the very best candidate, and of course, Cuffe was one of them.” Jack Bovender Jr., vice chair of Duke’s Board of Trustees and Trinity ’67 and Graduate School ’69, is the former chairman and CEO of HCA. A spokesperson for HCA could not be reached for comment. The resignation comes just months after Cuffe’s recent promotion to DUHS chief medical officer. Cuffe formerly served as vice president for medical affairs at DUHS and as vice dean for medical affairs for the School of Medicine. “It was a little bit of a surprise,” Dzau said. “I obviously think very highly of him... but then I can understand the circumstance—it’s such a great opportunity.” It is not yet determined who will replace Cuffe, Dzau added, noting that DUHS is currently working out a succession plan and should be able to confirm the successor by the end of the week. “We haven’t yet had a chance to confirm with the people that we plan to put into place, so it is too premature to release their names,” he noted. Cuffe received his medical degree from the Duke University School of Medicine in 1991 and also received an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business in 2009. He completed a cardiology fellowship and his residency in internal medicine at the Duke University Medical Center. In the newly created role as president and CEO of physician services, Cuffe will work to provide practice management in support of HCA’s clinical operations, as well as improve and manage the company’s market-based physician network strategy, according to the HCA release. HCA decided to create this position as part of an internal reorganization announced in February. “We’re sorry to see him go, but I think this opportunity may be too difficult to turn down,” Dzau said.
6 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011
SOCIAL MEDIA from page 4 Durham-based company Bronto Software is also a strong advocate for the power of social media in targeting consumer interest. Working with other companies to integrate social media into their marketing strategies, Bronto also utilizes online engagement tools to keep up with increased attention to social media. “The method of communication is changing—it’s obviously moving into the social realm,” said Kevin Skurski, director of marketing communications at Bronto Software. “The key to getting it right is to have the right marketing strategy. The channel that you use to communicate, whether email or social media
CONVOCATION from page 1 “Our job [as administrators] is to give more respect to the notion of sophomore slump and to [make certain] that you take advantage of your Duke experience, because it doesn’t last forever,” Wasiolek said. Wasiolek added that there is no better remedy for the [sophomore] slump than love. “Have the courage to date,” Wasiolek said. “If you want to get to know someone, ask him or her to a cup of coffee or a movie.” In his address, Nowicki focused on coping with academics as a sophomore and said students must remember that learning can take place outside the classroom. “[The most important things] you are learning at Duke are not the details you pick up in a course, major or program,” he said. “They are [learning] how to think critically,
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or mobile must be effective.” This recorded shift to social media still remains relatively new to both the
“The method of communication is changing— it’s obviously moving into the social realm,” — Kevin Skurski, Director of Marketing Communications, Bronto Software business and consumer worlds. Although the CMO survey indicated increasing so-
identify and solve problems, how to work with others and how to be adaptive.” He similarly urged his audience to explore. “Consider the virtues of not following the most direct path,” Nowicki said. “Allow yourself to experience the luxury of meandering.” The a cappella group the Pitchforks closed the ceremony with a performance of the Duke alma mater, “Dear Old Duke,” as attendees were given vouchers for free Local Yogurt. “The convocation was inspiring and uplifting,” sophomore Patrick Oathout said. “I was really inspired by Dean Nowicki’s message to pursue learning for its own sake.” Sophomore Noelle Ohanesian said that though she was attracted to commencement because of free Local Yogurt, she appreciated how the event forced her to reflect on the start of her sophomore year and consider changes she should
cial media efforts, the companies in the survey also admitted that social media is not well integrated throughout their entire firms. Ken Rogerson, director of undergraduate studies for public policy, said although social media has supplemented businesses’ marketing strategies, it has not yet developed into a direct replacement. “Studying social media is not something that’s going to change their business practices,” Rogerson said. “Social media is reaching large numbers of people, but it’s just a tactic among many that they can use to get the message out, like telemarketing was in the mid-’90s.” Despite varying results from companies on how social media is affecting profits, Moorman said the CMO survey
showed that incorporating social media into marketing strategy is crucial for a modern business. “There is no way that they [businesses] can be able to ignore this trend, because it’s only going to increase over time,” she said. Although time alone may be the only way to reveal a link between a company’s success and social media marketing, technology permanently transformed methods of advertising. “People are on social media—sometimes even more than they’re watching TV or listening to the radio,” Rogerson said. “But are they customers? Maybe or maybe not, but there’s certainly more of a chance that they will be. [Companies] will see if they can actually turn these friends and followers into buyers and sales.”
make in order to have the kind of experience she wants. “It was a great occasion to mark the start of what will be a great year,” sophomore Melissa Bradley said. “The free [Local Yogurt] didn’t hurt either.” Hanna noted that the Class of 2014 Class Council and the Sophomore Year Experience board are planning more programs
to accommodate the sophomore class. Students can expect future programs such as freshman residence hall reunions, a sophomore service opportunity and similar largescale social events. “If you happen to be experiencing the slump of the blues, know that others are looking towards you,” Wasiolek said in her closing statement. “Duke needs you.”
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After Convocation, students were given vouchers to food trucks stationed on Main West Quadrangle.
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Youthful Blue Devils finish strong at Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C. PAGE 8 Women’s basketball releases its complete ACC schedule.
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VOLLEYBALL
Duke gets over the hump, ends losing streak by Sarah Elsakr THE CHRONICLE
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Senior Kellie Catanach orchestrated an efficient Duke offense against the Fighting Camels, recording 41 assists.
It has been two weeks, but Duke can finally breathe easy. Last night the Blue Devils ended their longest losing streak since 2003 as they took three straight sets from Campbell, 2518, 25-17, 25-18. Camels 0 Despite their absence on the 3 Duke scoreboard, Campbell (4-8) did not go down without a fight. From the opening serve until senior Sophia Dunworth closed the match with a kill, the Fighting Camels kept themselves in the match. However, their efforts proved fruitless against the discipline shown by No. 23 Duke (5-3). Setter Kellie Catanach recorded 41 assists on the night, including 25 to Jeme Obieme. “They really had a lot of energy,” sophomore Ali McCurdy said. “And it’s sometimes tough playing a team like that because it can be exhausting. When they’re super-energetic about every point you have to come and fire back.” That’s exactly what the Duke did, managing to not only send a total of 50 kills Campbell’s way, but also to hold their ground defensively behind the play of McCurdy. With their minds set on bringing more control and defense to their game, the Blue Devils worked to bring up their digs to a total of 63, up 14 from their loss to San Diego. And as indicated by the number of kills, the team also had its sights set on broadening its offense. “I thought our serve-receive also gave
us a chance to be successful,” head coach Jolene Nagel said. “I really am pleased with the team effort that was out there.... And our setter was able to mix up the offense and get quite a few people opportunities.” The motivation behind last night’s win, according to both Nagel and her players, was the lessons learned from the team’s previous losses. After last Thursday’s loss ended a 15-match home win streak, the Blue Devils sought to improve on ball control, defense and offensive diversity. Last night’s win against Campbell highlighted those areas of marked improvement and allowed Duke to end its last game before ACC play on a positive note. The outlook the Blue Devils carried into the match was the secret to their success in implementing these changes. Instead of worrying about past losses, the team recognized their usefulness as learning experiences. “Coming into tonight, we were hoping to just see some of that improvement in some of those areas that we were working on,” Nagel said. “And I definitely did see a more disciplined focus.... We went out and competed and executed.” With the upcoming ACC opener against Wake Forest, that execution couldn’t have come at a better time. And though the team acknowledges that every match is important, this win has gained importance in their eyes due to the timing. “Now is when the real test [begins],” McCurdy said. “Pre-season stuff is over and now the fun truly starts.”
Blue Devils need to expand passing game In his weekly luncheon with the media, head coach David Cutcliffe made a joke when asked about the number of injuries his team has suffered at the running back position. “To be honest with you, we have five people to put out there,” Cutcliffe said, referring to emptying the backfield and splitting five receivers out wide. “And, I’ve played offense that way before.” What’s funny to me is that the pretense for his one-liner should Jason actually be the direction in which he is taking Duke football. Coach, if you’ve done it before, let’s do it again. And let’s see it a lot more frequently. In certain situations during his threeplus year tenure in Durham, we have seen Cutcliffe empty the backfield and make use of his talented receiving corps. In his two years directing quarterback Thad Lewis, he let the veteran signal caller throw 50-plus times in 3 games. Even last year,
Palmatary On Football
Renfree gave his receiving corps plenty of chances to make plays, throwing 39 or more passes 6 times, compared to a high of 33 attempts in the first two games this year. The point is that far too much emphasis is being put on establishing a running game this season, an area that is not Duke’s strength. The Blue Devils may be able to occasionally overpower smaller defensive fronts as they did against FCS opponent Richmond while gaining 178 yards on the ground in the season opener. A squad like the Spiders, however, simply can’t recruit the same caliber of athlete as the ACC teams that Duke will see every week when it matters most. Case in point: the Blue Devils tallied a meager 30 yards on the ground, less than a yard per carry, against the physical Stanford front seven last Saturday. Last week, I wrote a column that argued that Duke could win despite its high academic standards if it recruited players that fit its system—even if they are inferior from an athletic standpoint—using Stanford, Northwestern and Wake Forest as case studies. Looking back, however, the flaw in my argument was my assumption that the Blue Devils have a CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO
SEE ON FOOTBALL ON PAGE 8
David Cutcliffe should give Sean Renfree the same freedom he gave Thad Lewis in 2009, Palmatary writes.
8 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011
ON FOOTBALL from page 7 system that they can rely on. By a system, I mean an innovative yet consistent offensive framework designed by a coaching staff that recruits players to fill specific needs. Past and present examples that jump to mind are June Jones’s quick passing attack at Hawaii, Mike Leach’s spread passing scheme at Texas Tech, Chip Kelly’s up-tempo spread outfit at Oregon and the option offenses at the service academies. The identity that I think the Duke offense should take on is one that slings the ball around the field 50-plus times per game. This exciting brand of football would increase the excitement around the program, which would lead to fewer empty seats in Wallace Wade on Saturdays. Installing a pass-happy offense would offer a huge recruiting edge in enticing top quarterbacks and wideouts to commit to the program. And the best thing about overhauling the offensive identity
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is that such a scheme aligns perfectly with where the talent falls on the Duke depth chart. Talented quarterback Sean Renfree receives constant praise from Cutcliffe, though at times he has struggled to find a rhythm. A quick-striking passing game would be the perfect remedy, allowing him to get his confidence going early in contests. Plus, the guys catching these balls make up the deepest, most talented group on the team. Traditional football folks might argue that you have to run the ball to win. There is certainly merit here, and a strong passing game would allow Duke to catch the defense offguard with a run play. Also, horizontal passes to backs and receivers in the flats might as well be considered runs, as they are low risk and keep the clock rolling. While we may never see the reincarnation of a June Jones or Mike Leach high-flying attack in Durham, breaking away from a status quo that hasn’t led to an abundance of victories can never be a bad thing. Let’s at least give Renfree and an explosive group of receivers the chance to work some magic.
WOMEN’S GOLF
Duke opens against top teams in S.C. by Mike Schreiner THE CHRONICLE
When it comes to golf, local knowledge pays huge dividends. Being familiar with the course can save a competitor vital strokes during tournament play. That fact only made No. 7 Duke’s performance at this week’s Cougar Classic even more impressive. Yeamans Hall Club, which played as a par-72 for the tournament, hosted the 54-hole event. Before the start of the tournament, the Duke players were largely unfamiliar with the course. “It’s unique,” head coach Dan Brooks said, “and it’s a course we have never played before as a team.” The Blue Devils finished tied for seventh at the threeday tournament in Charleston, S.C., which featured nine teams ranked in the top 25. The Blue Devils finished nineteen strokes behind No. 4 LSU, which won the event with a 16-under-par 848. Duke struggled Sunday and Monday, putting up totals of 292 and 293, respectively, but finished strong yesterday with a six-under 282 to finish three-overpar as a team for the tournament. Brooks thought that playing on a new course was at least partly to blame for the Blue Devils’ slow start. “Once we got to know to know this golf course,” he said, “our talent started to show through a little bit, and we finally got under par.” Individually, Duke had two players finish in the top 10. Junior Lindy Duncan, a two-time All-American, improved each day to shoot a five-under 211, eight stokes behind individual champion Austin Ernst from LSU. Last season’s ACC rookie of the year, sophomore Laetitia Beck, started strong with a 67 on Sunday but was two-over-par over her final 36 holes and finished with a 213, which tied her for ninth. The final day also included a promising performance from freshman Irene Jung. After finishing first in the team’s qualifier, Jung was seeded as Duke’s top player for the Cougar Classic, her first collegiate tournament. She shot 77 each of the first two days before finishing with a three-under 69. Her seven-over-par 223 tied her for 52nd place. The addition of Jung to the Blue Devil team this year improves an already talented team. “[Jung] has contributed in so many ways already,” Brooks said. “She has a great attitude and is bringing a lot to the team.” Duke will play next in Vanderbilt’s Fall Preview tournament on Sept. 23-25.
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Vote against marriage inequality Duke’s campus abounds primary race. If passed, the with symbols of social activ- act will amend the state conism—it’s not uncommon to see stitution to explicitly state students adorned in the Cen- that marriage is between one ter for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual man and one woman. Cruand Transgender Life’s “Love cially, the ultimate fate of the = Love” shirts. proposed law Now, students lies with the editorial are faced with electorate. the opportunity to expand this Although historically a statement of activism to a tan- partisan issue, the values ingible, statewide result—the de- herent in opposing gay marfeat of a constitutional amend- riage should transcend party ment that would enshrine lines. Equality of marriage marriage inequality in North should not be a political isCarolina. sue; it cuts to the very core On Tuesday the North of citizens’ civil and human Carolina Senate followed in rights. the footsteps of the North As students, it is time that Carolina House by passing we take increased action to the Defense of Marriage Act, supplement our declarations allowing the amendment to of activism. We have pushed be up for referendum on the to embrace gender-neutralMay 2012 ballot in North Car- ity in campus housing. The olina during the presidential LGBT Center has expanded.
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Isn’t cutcliffe supposed to be an offensive genius? I don’t think he was pulling Peyton Manning or Eli Manning every time they got to the red zone for a RB. Why start now?. —“DavidChi09” commenting on the story “Why the two-QB system must go.” See more at www.dukechronicle.com.
LETTERS POLICY The Chronicle welcomes submissions in the form of letters to the editor or guest columns. Submissions must include the author’s name, signature, department or class, and for purposes of identification, phone number and local address. Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns. The Chronicle will not publish anonymous or form letters or letters that are promotional in nature. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, clarity and style and the right to withhold letters based on the discretion of the editorial page editor.
Events such as Common Ground and Me Too Monologues promote awareness and acceptance of gay issues. Now Duke students should capitalize on this opportunity to expand our activism to impact our neighbors beyond the “Duke bubble.” Duke students are eligible to register in North Carolina, as state law requires only 30 days of residency prior to casting a vote here. Out-of-state students willing to transfer their voter registration should do so in anticipation of the DOMA vote. Both the Republican and Democratic parties in North Carolina hold open primaries, so even politically unaffiliated students can express their convictions. Even if students have left campus
by the May 8 primary, they can reject the amendment via absentee ballot. To increase voter turnout, Duke administrators should establish a voting site on campus as they have done in previous years. If voting space were designated on campus, student participation in the vote would surely increase. We should doubt neither that we have moral obligations to vote to strike down DOMA, nor that our votes will play an important role in deciding the outcome. As a generation, we are more progressive than our precursors, and our age demographic will be pivotal in striking down DOMA. In this instance, failure to vote is not synonymous with inaction; instead, it is equivalent to
complicitly accepting a new, harmful law. As residents (even if only temporarily) of North Carolina and as students of Duke University, we should be concerned with the image of this state. Prospective students may be hesitant to apply to a university in a state that demonstrates regressive social action. And an open environment in North Carolina can only encourage recent Duke graduates to put down roots in the Triangle for the long haul. Obviously, Duke students alone do not have the power to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. But small actions lead to larger results. It’s time for students to recognize that “Love = Love” is more than just a shirt slogan.
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M
y father has an amazing memory. For the tour guide tests, there is no real push for stusome reason, he can recite random mi- dents to learn about the history of Duke University nutiae about television shows, political or the family from which we derive our name. events and other topics you probAnd students can go through ably learned in middle school. This their four years here never learntrait often captivates people, as he ing about the past of our University. combines an immense knowledge It’s not like we’re all history majors, of trivia with personal tidbits that right? And, even for history majors, make you want to hear about, say, why would you learn about the hisPresident Dwight D. Eisenhower’s tory of Duke University when you pet (a Weimaraner named Heidi). could learn about the history of When he uses this ability to retain magic? It’s all about opportunity personal details about you—your antonio segalini costs. wife’s name, what sports teams you The problem is a lack of knowlmusings follow and shows you watch—it simedge leads to widespread misconply is unfair. My brother somehow ceptions, especially those that come was passed these remarkable people skills, and with being a private university named after a man this ability to make people feel important (as well who made his money in tobacco. The Duke family as his good looks) has helped him get job offers hired slaves from other farms to work their plantain fields he probably is not qualified for (no of- tions, and had one slave girl who worked as the fense, Sal). I’ve tried to develop both the ability housemaid—why one rather than zero is someto remember arcane trivia and to win over those thing I don’t understand, though I assume it has around me, but some of it is innate. to do with some household etiquette of the time. Combining his passion for trivia with his inter- Further, James B. Duke’s Indenture of Trust did est in personalities, my father scheduled my family not explicitly set up a system of racial segregation for tours of Durham historical sites (your family within the University. The family was not perfect, doesn’t schedule awesome trips? Sorry). This in- but they make up a large fabric of the University’s cluded, but was not limited to, a tour of the site past. of the largest battle of the Civil War and the Duke Duke’s history also includes the students. In Homestead. The first ended up being a plot of 1948, a group of divinity school students petitioned land, but the Homestead was a visit we probably the Duke Divinity School to desegregate—one of should have made years ago. the first concerted efforts to push for the desegreA quick look at the website for the Duke gation of any part of Duke’s admission policy. Homestead states that it is “the early home, factoAll of this is part of the University we attend. ries and farm where Washington Duke first grew Both the good stories and bad make this place and processed tobacco.” See, this was before his much more than classrooms and dormitories. It sons created The American Tobacco Company has a rich history embedded in the overall history and generated enough capital to endow our love- of Durham and North Carolina. Attending this ly University. Before the Civil War, Washington fine establishment for four years without learning Duke was a farmer in Almance County, cultivat- about where it came from is a disservice to both ing a variety of crops. After his first wife died, you and Duke. Duke remarried, but his second wife passed afThe general consensus about Duke students is ter only six years of marriage. During this time, that they come for four to 7 (or 8) years, get a Duke moved into the manufacturing business, degree and leave for greener pastures. This place deciding to process tobacco products instead of is simply a pit stop on the way to the many successfarming the actual plants. When the Civil War es life brings. Unless it leads to personal success, came, Duke served in the Confederate Navy and, there is no willingness to learn history. during his time in service, was introduced to My father was able to learn the basics of the Bright Leaf tobacco. After the tobacco’s popular- Duke family and the history of the University on ity grew, Washington Duke moved to Durham to a weekend trip. No matter the schedule, there is take advantage of the town’s railroad and tobac- enough time to learn the background of Duke co market. In 1884, the Dukes began mechanical University and the family that endowed this place. mass production of cigarettes. All it takes is a weekend. This is your University... Chances are, this is the first time you are hear- embrace it. ing of the history of the Duke family. Outside of applying to the Dukes and Duchesses program or Antonio Segalini is a Trinity junior. His column maybe some random facts you need to learn for runs every Wednesday.
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Meeting new people
W
hen you meet a new person, you may not be meeting them at all. You might have seen them on our news feeds on Facebook, as friends-of-friendsof-friends. Taking advantage of this small degree of connection, you might have clicked on their profile page and viewed his or her profile pictures and albums, depending on the level of privacy afforded to their page, and gotten an idea of a person’s appearance and hobindu ramesh bies. We might have noted his hooked on or her political and religious information views, or perused their interests, noting shared ideologies, TV show preferences or musical tastes. You might have taken a look at their wall, and seen the way this person interacts with others—the kinds of conversations he or she is interested in having, or is fascinated by. From this so-called “Facebook stalking,” you can move on to other modes of profiling. You can check if this person has a public Twitter—by simply searching for his or her name—and further peruse his or her interests, opinions and connections through those quick 140-character tweets. You can gauge the exact location of this person and his or her specific engagements at every moment he or she chooses to update. You can read about the semester of service he or she did in Africa, helping increase medical technology care in an AIDSstricken community. You can read about his or her drunken, party-filled summer in Europe, full of club and bar-hopping and steamy nights with a significant other. You may even be able to see photos of each respective experience. You can watch YouTube videos of them playing piano concerts, giving hilarious comedic advice or singing spectacularly—you can even watch videos of them doing these things quite badly. Moreover, you can Google this individual. You can find their most significant achievements spanning from elementary school to college to where they are now—competitions won, jobs obtained presently and formerly, successful art projects and essays, championship racing times, news articles, websites and blogs, even comments and different engagements with various peoples and mediums. From Facebook , Twitter and Google, you have already seen multiple ways of obtaining significant information about an individual. Indeed, using these sites, you may even be able to obtain concrete information that allows us to contact this person in a personal manner. Facebook and Twitter often list links to other websites and blogs, emails, phone numbers and mailing addresses. Increasingly complicated and constantly changing privacy settings make it such that the person may not even realize that their phone number is on display for the world to see. And from this—even without meeting that individual— you begin to form a judgment, a solid vision of the personality of that person. You can begin to envision his or her thoughts or opinions on an idea or topic—whether intellectual and social. From simply viewing of that person’s Facebook or Twitter, you can already imagine the types of conversations you could have with him or her, and the responses that would come to the challenges or questions you would present about a variety of issues. You can imagine that this means an actual meeting with this individual could be quite awkward. You can’t tell a person you meet “Hi, I’ve read about you and know a lot about you, but I am finally meeting you face-to-face,” even though that may very well be the truth. It’s considered creepy. The person will forever view you as a creeper, even though he or she may admit to doing the same thing And yet, in this day and age where you can know an astounding amount of information about an individual, it may become the norm. Our initial meetings with people, first impressions, are all skewed because of the degree of information available on the internet—that any member of the public may very well see. Either a more significant interest in privatization of information is necessary—or we need to embrace that, with the degree of social engagement the internet makes possible, the face of meetings and initial impressions is changing. If not, we will only continue to lie to ourselves about our “first” impressions of people. Indu Ramesh is a Trinity junior. Her column runs every other Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2011 | 11
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No place like home
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ince discussion of the new model first began, spontaneously develop bonds. And it suggests that any there has been talk about the house model being given house will be able to develop a unique, discernible nothing more than a way for the administration identity among the 39 other randomly formed houses to kick fraternities off of West Campus. and the 35 selective houses. Although it has not yet been confirmed The number of houses is too large and that next year more fraternities and sethe potential for community formation is lective living groups will be moved to astoundingly too limited. These problems Central Campus, SLGs should consider are especially frustrating since better soluthemselves lucky. For a system whose tions are in plain sight. Earlier this year, stated purpose is to foster a greater sense an article released by the Office of Unof community for Duke’s independent dergraduate Education about the house students, I am hard pressed to find one model stated “When Duke students talk scott briggs change in the new house model that acabout their residential experience, most tually benefits them. point to East Campus as a highlight.... as i see it When the new house model was origiThey often remain connected to their nally introduced, independent students initial identity as residents of their East were told that they would have the opportunity to rank Campus houses.” In fact, this was the intended goal houses by preference. Over the summer, the decision when Duke University moved all first-year students to was made to instead randomly assign students to live in East Campus during the early ’90s. The administrators one of the 40 new, unaffiliated houses. Furthermore, recognized that the transition to college, when students blocking groups have been reduced to a maximum of know the fewest number of people, is the perfect time to six students. build community. The placement of first years on East I do not always have the greatest faith in the admin- Campus has subsequently led to strongly united classes istration, but even I would have thought that President and spirited rivalries among freshman dorms. However, Brodhead would know what a “house model” actually in the process of creating a strong, community-focused is. After all, his alma mater and former institution of freshman experience, the University may have sacrificed employment is one of the most noteworthy examples of the upperclassmen experience. the university house model. At Yale, first year students Why the University fails to capitalize on the success of are placed into one of 12 residential colleges and they the freshman experience by blending it with the house remain in this college for the duration of their time at model is perplexing. Instead of students being thrown the university. Having been in place at Yale for more into small “houses” during their sophomore year, each than 70 years, the residential college or house model freshman residence hall should be linked to a larger is by no means a ground-breaking idea. In fact, Cam- section on West or Central Campus, which together bridge University employs a similar system that dates would constitute one residential college or house. back to the 13th century. Should students choose not to join a selective living The proven success of the house model at various oth- group, they would remain together in their house’s reer universities makes it very easy to tell what is and is not a spective upperclassman section. This “East meets West” house model. The new “Duke house model” system is in hybrid would allow the spirit and community fostered no way a real house model. It lacks the four-year longevity in the East Campus residence halls to continue for the of these other systems and has seemingly boundless flaws. duration of the undergraduate years. Far from creating a sense of community for upperclassHere’s how I see it: Don’t change for change’s sake. men, it isolates students from their friends by cutting the size of blocks in half. It assumes that by telling students Scott Briggs is a Trinity sophomore. His column runs every they live in a house instead of a quad section, they will other Wednesday.
lettertotheeditor Football trash and drug addiction Every Sunday morning following a Saturday game during Duke’s football season, I am disgusted. My disgust has nothing to do with the performance of our team. No, my disgust is targeted to us fans. Members of the Duke community are fortunate in that the athletic department allows the stadium to remain open (most of the time) so various members of the Durham and Duke communities can run the steps or play with their kids and run along the track. However, on these post-football Sunday mornings when folks gather for their morning exercise rituals, I am repeatedly embarrassed to be a member of the Duke community as the stadium is beyond filthy. Now, I realize that it takes a tremendous amount of effort to actually pick up your garbage and throw it into a trash can on the way out. Today’s garbage highlights were entire orders of chicken fingers (uneaten), pizza boxes, smeared nacho cheese on benches, really nice water bottles, too many cups to name and on and on and on—on every bleacher and on some rows seemingly on every seat. Come on now. Didn’t folks learn somewhere to clean up their crap? Who do they think is going to spend an entire Sunday picking up after them? I doubt those who leave their trash have given it much thought, so I will tell you. The University contracts with TROSA to perform the clean-up. TROSA is an amazing organization and community of individuals who
have struggled with severe drug addiction who are going through an intensive two-year drug rehabilitation program and working in various industries formed by TROSA to get their lives back. Some members of the TROSA community have joined TROSA following or during an incarceration and only can join TROSA after an intensive application process in which they demonstrate that they are willing to work hard to start a new life. From TROSA’s website: “The nature of our program is such that individuals are given more than sobriety—they are also given the tools they will need to maintain that sobriety and support themselves in the world outside of TROSA. Residents advance their education through GED classes or study at local colleges, improve their interpersonal skills through intensive group sessions and learn how to re-enter the community.” In other words, these are people who have gotten a raw deal out of life and are working hard for things to be different. They have been through enough crap. Don’t make them pick up yours. Feeling guilty? To donate to TROSA, check out their website: http:// www.trosainc.org/program/program.htm. Note: Other than admiration, I have no connection to TROSA. Nancy Zucker, Ph.D. Director of the Duke Center for Eating Disorders Assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience
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