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, OCTOBER 12, 2011
Former DUPD officer cleared of rape charges
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 33
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
BNY policies fair to Duke, admins say
Beer me
by Lauren Carroll
by Yeshwanth Kandimalla THE CHRONICLE
THE CHRONICLE
A former officer with the Duke University Police Department has been acquitted of charges of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy. The week-long trial of 39-year-old Webster Simmons ended in a verdict of “not guilty” Oct. 7. The trial took place in Houston County, Ala. “Once I discussed the case with [Simmons,] I knew he was innocent,” Simmons’ attorney Billy Sheffield II said in an interview Tuesday. Simmons has returned to North Carolina, Sheffield said. He may eventually return to law enforcement, though Sheffield said Simmons has not made definitive plans. Simmons declined a request for comment. “I can’t imagine him serving in DUPD again,” DUPD Chief John Dailey said Tuesday. Dailey declined to comment on any change in Simmons’ eligibility for employment following his acquittal, but noted that in general, DUPD evaluates an applicant’s criminal record. “While being charged with a crime and then acquitted is not by itself a disqualifying factor for employment at Duke, we would consider severity of the charges, jobrelatedness and how recent [the charges are],” Dailey wrote in an email Tuesday. Simmons was arrested in Alabama Oct. 26, 2009, for allegedly raping and sodomizing a
Bank of New York Mellon has conducted fair foreign currency trades with the University’s assets, Duke officials said. Last week, the New York attorney general and the United States attorney in New York City each filed lawsuits against BNY Mellon—led by Trustee Gerald Hassell, Trinity ’73 and chairman and CEO of the company. The two lawsuits, which were filed Oct. 4, claim that the company defrauded its clients in fees associated with foreign currency trades. The Duke University Management Company maintains accounts with BNY Mellon for trading purposes, wrote Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, in an email Tuesday. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, the amount in question regarding Duke-BNY Mellon transactions is approximately several hundred thousand dollars out of a $5.8 billion endowment, he added. “The financial impact on Duke of the alleged practices would not be significant,” Schoenfeld said. “Our view is that the foreign exchange trades BNY Mellon has executed for Duke have been fair.” DUMAC continues to hold accounts with BNY Mellon, he noted. Duke is not involved in the lawsuits. These lawsuits will have no effect on Hassell’s membership to the Board of Trustees, Schoenfeld
CHRISTINA PENA/THE CHRONICLE
Rebellious Brewing operates a booth at the 16th annual World Beer Festival, held Saturday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. More than 100 breweries from around the world participated.
SEE SIMMONS ON PAGE 7
SEE BNY ON PAGE 6
DKU delay helpful for academic programs by Lauren Carroll THE CHRONICLE
The recently announced construction delay at Duke Kunshan University could provide a welcome grace period for those planning the new campus—but comes with additional financial costs. At the Sept. 15 Academic Council meeting, Provost Peter Lange announced the opening of DKU will be delayed, due to poor weather conditions at the construction site. It is now slated to open for students Spring 2013 instead of Fall 2012. But some administrators and faculty members have said this extension comes as a relief for those working on DKU construction and academic programs. Executive Vice President Tallman Trask said five of DKU’s six buildings are on track for completion, but construction workers have not yet broken ground on the sixth building— sometimes referred to as the “incubator building” because it will house research facilities and labs. Trask cited construction, academic and financial obstacles as causes for the delay. “I am quite confident about the five buildings, but I’m not willing to even guess on the [completion date for the] incubator yet,” Trask said, adding that Spring 2013 is a reasonable estimate for the five buildings already under construction.
Duncan seventh, Duke 10th at Tar Heel Invitational, Page 9
Trask said he suspects that the city of Kunshan, which is fronting the costs of the campus’ construction, is nearing its budget limit, though it has yet to officially approach Duke about this problem. Although Trask was unable to predict what would happen if Kunshan reaches its budgetary limit, he said it would be the city’s prerogative to halt construction in such a case because the city is footing the bill. Trask added that unresolved details regarding which academic programs will be utilizing the incubator space are preventing construction on that building from moving forward. He said, for example, the Duke Global Health Institute might require lab space, and the building’s structure and layout could depend on the amount or type of necessary space. “The incubator is going to be largely programmatically driven,” Trask said. “I don’t want to build an entire building... just for two labs.” The DGHI faculty plans to vote on potential programs this month, and the Fuqua School of Business, which is expected to provide the first DKU degree, a Master’s of Management Studies in Finance, will also discuss its academic programs this month.
Blue Devils split pair of weekend contests, Page 9
SEE DKU ON PAGE 6
CHRONICLE GRAPHIC BY TYLER SEUC
Due to poor weather conditions at the construction site, Duke Kunshan University is now scheduled to open Spring 2013 for students.
ONTHERECORD
“As people spend more time inside in the dorms, there is a greater opportunity to spread illnesses....” —Duke Student Health director Jean Hanson on illnesses. See story page 3