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, FEBRUARY 15, 2012
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 98
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
DUKE CANCER CENTER
The jewel of Duke Medicine New facility follows ‘long history of success’ in cancer research, care
Duke responds to accessibility problems by Arden Kreeger THE CHRONICLE
by Danielle Muoio THE CHRONICLE
The February opening of the Duke Cancer Center is a simultaneous testament to the future of cancer treatment and the historical evolution of patient care at Duke. Since the Duke Hospital opened to patients in 1930, treating cancer has been integral to the mission of Duke Medicine, said Dr. Victor Dzau, chancellor for health affairs and president and CEO of the Duke University Health System. Seven years after its opening, Duke Hospital began one of the nation’s first brain tumor research and treatment programs. Since then, cancer research and clinical care have become a hall-
mark of Duke Medicine, which receives nearly $300 million annually in cancer research funding. “We have a long history of success and have always ranked among the best cancer centers,” Dzau said. “Over the years, we have not been as well-adapted as we should have been.... When I looked at this I feel that this day we need to change and reorganize and create the cancer institute around the patients.” In 2010, Duke Medicine launched the Duke Cancer Institute, which will be housed by the new Cancer Center and accompanying facilities. That year, Duke saw nearly 50,000 individuals diagnosed with cancer and conducted 869 oncology clinical trials with 5,979 patients en-
rolled, according to DCI’s 2011 annual report. The establishment of the first brain tumor treatment program in 1937 was just the start in a cascade of improvements to Duke’s cancer programs, clinically and educationally. In 1947, Duke launched a training program teaching medical students how to treat cancer patients, according to a DCI presentation. One of the first doctors to use chemotherapy for brain tumors was Duke doctor Barnes Woodhall, who adopted the treatment in the 1950s. And in another realm of firsts for the medical community, Duke was named SEE CANCER CENTER ON PAGE 6
TYLER SEUC/THE CHRONICLE
When most students are elbowing their way onto the C-1, junior Megan Barron has to make alternate arrangements to make it to class on time. Barron and other students with disabilities rely on the Duke Van Services to transport them to and from classes, extracurricular activities and social engagements. Barron, founder and president of the Duke Disability Alliance, said the van service is just one of Duke’s disability services that could be improved. Last week, Duke Student Government unanimously passed a resolution challenging the University to make West Campus 100 percent handicap accessible by 2022. Following this meeting, Barron and sophomore Fedja Pavlovic, DSG senator for residence life and dining, began a series of meetings with the Facilities Management Department and the Disability Management System to achieve this goal. “I want to see Duke be on the cutting edge of accessibility for any of the top-10 universities,” Barron said. “The resolution did great things as far as bringing awareness to the table, but it wasn’t exactly specific as to how to bring about such changes. I want to see the words turn into actions.” The University has no official statistics regarding the number of students with disabilities SEE ACCESSIBILITY ON PAGE 5
GRADUATE YOUNG TRUSTEE
Physics Building Burnett draws on interdisciplinary approach renovations in by Lauren Carroll THE CHRONICLE
Malik Burnett, currently in his ninth year as a Duke student, wants to enhance the graduate student experience if elected as graduate Young Trustee. Burnett, who graduated from Trinity College of Arts & Sciences in 2007, is now a fourth-year student in a joint medical doctorate and MBA program at the School of Medicine and the Fuqua School of Business. With a wide range of experiences in Duke’s various schools, Burnett said he has always been interested in University issues. He is particularly concerned with graduate student life and an unsaid notion that they have “second-tier status” compared to undergraduates—an issue that he would bring forward as a JAMES LEE/THE CHRONICLE
Graduate Young Trustee candidate Malik Burnett, now in his ninth year at Duke, wants to call attention to graduate and professional student issues.
SEE BURNETT ON PAGE 6
sight, admins say by Margot Tuchler THE CHRONICLE
The outdated Physics Building is due for a facelift, but the exact specifications are still up in the air. Renovations to the building—built in 1948 and added onto in 1963—have been discussed intermittently over the past 15 years, said University Architect John Pearce. The building needs to be updated in order to execute certain labs and experiments, which require carefully controlled atmospheric conditions. The approach that the University will take, however, is unclear. “We could build a separate experimental building, or we could build a whole new building for the entire SEE PHYSICS ON PAGE 12
Fuqua-West Point partnership, Page 3
ONTHERECORD
Duke faces sliding Hokies, Page 9
“I’m not interested in any kind of relationship with just anyone, and I’m willing to wait for a good one.” —Lillie Reed on relationships. See column page 11
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THE CHRONICLE
worldandnation
Congressional negotiators near deal on payroll tax
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressional negotiators moved closer toward a deal that would extend a payroll tax holiday, unemployment benefits and Medicare payment rates for doctors, while finding more than $50 billion in cuts to reduce the package’s effect on the federal deficit. While President Barack Obama and congressional leaders publicly jousted over the negotiations, senior Democrats and Republicans worked behind the scenes toward a compromise that would extend the tax and unemployment benefits through the year. A deal also would mean that doctors would not see a drop in rates paid by Medicare, according to senior aides in both parties. Aides stressed that final details are still being ironed out—including which cuts would be used to finance the unemployment and Medicare provision—but they were optimistic that a broad deal could come together by the end of the week.
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onschedule at Duke... Trent 124, 12-1p.m. Facilitated by DGHI faculty members, the club discusses current articles related to global health research and policy.
Sexual Assault in the Armed Force Law School 3043, 12:15-1:15 p.m. Lt. Col. Kate Oler, USAF, will speak about sexual assault legislation after completing a three-year tour as a trial judge.
Virginia defeats proposal Greece pursues budget cut to end tenure protection in exchange for aid package The Virginia Senate narrowly rejected a bill to end tenure-related job protections for public school teachers, dealing a significant setback to Gov. Robert McDonnell’s education agenda. The 20-18 vote came one day after a companion bill had passed in the Republican-dominated House.
BRUSSELS, Belgium — European officials jacked up the pressure on the Greek government to deliver budget cuts in exchange for a second bailout as they insisted that default is not an option. Evidence mounted that the euro’s guardians have made progress isolating Greece’s woes.
Information Night for Chinese Studies at Duke Friedl 107, 5:30-7 p.m. Information will be provided on Fall ‘12 AMES classes, the Chinese Major and Minor, the Duke Study in China Program and so on.
Burger King Info Session Smith Warehouse Bay 5, 6:30-7:45 p.m. Burger King will have a recruiting information session. Students who are interested may attend.
TODAY IN HISTORY 1903: First Teddy bear goes on sale.
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“Tuesday was Santorum’s day in the spotlights as he convincingly won his first three states since his slim Iowa caucus victory at the beginning of the primary season.In Minnesota and Missouri, Santorum didn’t give up a single county, winning by double-digits over the 2nd-place finisher in each state.” — From The Chronicle’s News Blog bigblog.dukechronicle.com
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Global Health Journal Club: China—The Sick Man in Asia?
Be like the bird that, passing on her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings. — Victor Hugo
on the
THURSDAY:
TODAY:
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calendar
National Day Serbia
National Flag of Canada Day Canada
Rose Monday LUCY DAWKINS/THE WASHINGTON POST
Yayoi Kusama, an 82-year-old Japanese painter, performance artist and peacenik, shows up at the opening ceremony of the retrospective exhibition of her work, which is held by the Tate Modern Gallery, London. During the 1960s, she was among the leading avant-garde artists in New York.
Bolivia
National Lamb Day New Zealand
THE CHRONICLE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 | 3
Obama’s budget Fuqua, West Point partner to enroll officers in MBA program calls for federal by Kelly Scurry THE CHRONICLE
Fuqua is giving back to active-duty U.S. servicemen and women who have served their country in war and otherwise. Since 2004, the Fuqua School of Business has partnered with the United States Military Academy at West Point to provide top military officers an opportunity to attend business school at no cost to the individual. Officers with the highest performance and leadership capabilities are selected by West Point to attend MBA and other degree programs nationwide, conditional on further military service after graduation. Nomination by West Point does not guarantee the soldiers’ acceptance into the business school of their choice. Fuqua’s participation in the partnership echoes a growing trend of military officers seeking an MBA education programs with the intention of staying in active duty. “All of the candidates accepted through the program served as distinguished company commanders who have served in the U.S. Army,” said Liz Hargrove, associate dean for admissions at Fuqua. “This is a mutually beneficial partnership enabling the USMA the ability to send up to two officers per year to learn at one of the world’s top business schools.” The typical MBA class consists of 442 students, according to Fuqua’s website. If accepted into Fuqua, the soldiers’ cost of attendance is shared by the U.S. government and Duke University, Hargrove noted. The post-9/11 GI bill allows anyone who has served in combat to receive financial support in attaining an undergraduate or graduate degree. The government has a cap on the amount of money it will provide for educating soldiers, but colleges and universities have the opportunity to reduce the amount of debt a veteran will incur in obtaining a degree. The program with West Point is an arrangement
separate from other scholarships Duke offers military personnel. Maj. Neil Hollenbeck, a second-year MBA candidate at Fuqua, is one of the students admitted through the arrangement with West Point. Hollenbeck said most business schools value the applicants’ military experience. “Most business programs value military experience,” he wrote in an email Tuesday. Schools such as the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College have similar programs with U.S. service academies, including West Point and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. After graduation, Hollenbeck plans to be an academic instructor in the Department of Behavioral Science and Leadership at West Point. Most Fuqua students with military background have left the military and are entering civilian careers after graduation. Capt. Jacqueline Harris is a first-year MBA candidate at Fuqua who also was admitted through the program. Harris, who completed her undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University in 2005, was stationed in Missouri and at Fort Hood before she was deployed three times overseas: twice to Afghanistan and once to Iraq. She noted the parallels between the way business is conducted and the way the military operates. “For me, it was an easy translation to move from the Army—where it is all about teamwork—to Fuqua, where teams are important,” said Harris, who will teach at the Department of Systems Engineering at West Point after graduation. Attending Fuqua, she said, provides the unique opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds and the various branches of the military—something usually impossible given her rank. “A lot of the knowledge will help me when I continue [serving] outside of the classroom,” Harris said.
pay raises by Ed O’Keefe
THE WASHINGTON POST
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama wants a higher pay raise for military troops than for federal employees, a proposal that could spark another fight over pay parity for civilian workers and uniformed personnel. The White House budget plan released Monday would increase federal civilian pay by a modest 0.5 percent, a bump that would end a two-year cost-of-living pay freeze. Uniformed military personnel would receive a 1.7 percent increase in pay in 2013, the full increase allowed by law, according to the proposal. Even if federal employees earn more money next year, Obama’s budget also calls for them to pay 1.2 percent more toward their retirement over three years. “A permanent pay freeze is neither sustainable nor desirable,” Obama’s budget proposal said, noting that the “slight increase in civilian pay” would make available $2 billion to spend on other programs. Over the course of the two-year freeze Obama called for in late 2010, eligible federal employees have received within-grade step increases for advancing through levels of the General Schedule pay system. Republican lawmakers have targeted the within-grade raises, which average $2,000, as another way to cut federal spending. Federal employees and union leaders expressed tepid support Monday, noting as they often do that lower pay levels could deter potential applicants from seeking federal employment or force current workers to seek private-sector employment. And forcing workers to pay more for their retirement “will have a serious impact on the retirement SEE BUDGET ON PAGE 12
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THE CHRONICLE
Bangkok blasts prompt new accusations against Iran
All of the lights
by Joel Greenberg THE WASHINGTON POST
SOPHIA DURAND/THE CHRONICLE
Duke’s Antic Shakespeare Company performed scenes from Shakespeare’s plays in a Valentine’s Day show in the East Campus Coffeehouse Tuesday.
JERUSALEM — Israel renewed its accusations against Iran Tuesday after a man identified as an Iranian national was involved in a string of explosions in Bangkok. The blasts came a day after bombers targeted Israeli diplomats in two incidents in India and Georgia, stoking concerns in Israel about a possible wave of attacks on its representatives abroad. The violence comes amid rising tension between Israel and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program and threats by Iran to avenge the deaths of several of its nuclear scientists in attacks that it has blamed on Israel. Though authorities in Thailand said it was unclear whether the Bangkok explosions were linked to Monday’s incidents in New Delhi and the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the three incidents were part of a pattern of attacks orchestrated by Iran and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, which is backed by Tehran. “Iran and Hezbollah are unrestrained terrorist elements, a danger to the stability of the region and a danger to world stability,” Barak said during a visit to Singapore. An Israeli Defense Ministry statement that quoted Barak’s remarks noted that he had been in Bangkok for several hours Sunday. Police in Bangkok said Tuesday that
an Iranian man who had fled an explosion in a house threw an explosive device at a taxi after it failed to stop for him, according to wire service and local news accounts. He then hurled a grenade at approaching officers, but it either fell short or bounced back, blowing off one of his legs, the accounts said. Another Iranian was detained at Bangkok’s international airport as he attempted to leave for Malaysia, the police were quoted as saying, but it was unclear whether he was linked to the blasts. An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, Paul Hirschon, said there was “nothing concrete” indicating that Israeli or Jewish sites in Bangkok were intended targets, but he added that the incident was a cause for concern. On Monday, a motorcyclist slapped a magnetic bomb onto a car carrying the wife of a member of the Israeli defense delegation in New Delhi, wounding the woman—who is an Israeli Embassy employee—and the driver. In Tbilisi, an explosive device was found attached to a car belonging to a driver for the Israeli Embassy and was defused by the authorities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of organizing the attacks, a charge denied by the government in Tehran. Along with Iran’s threats to avenge SEE BANGKOK ON PAGE 12
THE CHRONICLE
ACCESSIBILITY from page 1 because students have to self-report in order to receive special services, Leigh Fickling, executive director of the Disability Management System, wrote in an email Feb. 7. She noted, however, that Duke provides disability services to several hundred students each year. Pavlovic, the author of the resolution, is optimistic about DSG’s short-term goals, which involve creating channels for communication between students and the administration to discuss problems with disability services on campus. One potential initiative is to create a website for filing complaints about broken or malfunctioning handicap services. “[There is] this need to get some kind of means of communication between students and the administration,” Pavlovic said. “I don’t think anybody would expect [West Campus accessibility problems] to be resolved within the next semester or two because there’s just a lot of money involved.” Disabled students face a number of challenges in everyday campus life, including the need for special building access, housing and transportation. Barron said the van service is often unreliable and difficult to use on weekends, especially for access to non-academic activities. “I rely heavily on the van service, and I know it’s been a huge struggle just trying to get to class on time,” Barron said. “They’re really overbooked and don’t have enough drivers… What does that say? There is so much more than just getting to class and class-related activities.” Transportation problems could be due to the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Ammendments Act in 1990, which might increase the number of students who define themselves as disabled, Samuel Veraldi, director of Parking and Transporta-
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 | 5
tion Services, wrote in an email Tuesday. “Transportation is prepared to meet that demand and will adjust schedules and drivers accordingly,” he said. The new house model is presenting additional challenges to students with disabilities, especially for those wishing to live with their selective living groups. “I had a huge battle trying to get my housing because I need a special room with my own bathroom, and I’m also in a selective living group,” Barron said. “The house model doesn’t really allow for much flexibility in terms of places students can live who have special needs.” Housing, Dining and Residence Life plans to make more rooms handicap accessible, including apartments on Central Campus, said Joe Gonzalez, associate dean for residence life. “The reality is our current system had the same challenges in terms of SLGs,” he said. “The transition to Duke houses just increases the number of locations where we might face those obstacles.” The Disability Management System, which guides the University in accommodating people with disabilities, has both short and long-term goals for improving Duke’s disability services, Fickling said. In April, the office plans to host a nationally recognized disability consultant who will conduct training sessions for Duke’s disability service liaisons. Disability Management System staff will also attend conferences and web seminars to stay updated on changes to disability laws and federal acts. Barron noted that the Duke Disability Alliance recently launched a public service campaign to raise awareness about the challenges of being disabled on Duke’s campus. “It’s time to go from the promise of making Duke better to real results on campus,” Barron said. “The resolution was a great start, but I really want to see more.”
TYLER SEUC/THE CHRONICLE
Disabled students on campus face daily challenges, including transportation and building access. Duke Student Government pledged to make West Campus 100 percent accessible by 2022.
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BURNETT from page 1 member of the Board of Trustees. “I’ve been at Duke for the past nine years, and so I’ve seen how Duke has grown,” Burnett said. “I can articulate the experience of graduate and professional students well and juxtapose it against undergraduate students.” He noted that issues such as space, parking, health care and child care for graduate and professional students have been discussed for several years with no results. There is a Board committee that addresses undergraduate student life specifically but not one for the upper schools, he added. “Given that the issues experienced throughout the graduate schools are so vastly different, being able to make a unified graduate school experience is very difficult and requires leadership from the top down,” Burnett said.
THE CHRONICLE
Burnett said he likes to stay busy in addition to working toward a medical degree and an MBA. He currently serves as the graduate student representative on the Board’s annual fund executive committee and sits on the Student Health Advisory Council. He previously sat on the Graduate and Professional Student Council and was class president in his first year of medical school. Burnett said he is also knowledgeable about the Duke University Health System, University fundraising, faculty research and Duke’s competitive standing among peer institutions. Burnett, who also served as president of the Black Student Alliance in 2006-2007, worked with Benjamin Reese, vice president of the Office of Institutional Equity, as an undergraduate. Reese said Burnett has continued to be an engaged member of the University community, despite his busy schedule as a graduate student. Burnett still mentors undergraduates, as he attends campus programming regularly and recently joined the planning committee for Duke’s 50th anniversary of the admittance of its first black students.
“[Burnett] can digest multiple perspectives—often in emotionally-charged issues,” Reese said. “He can bring together individuals and groups that might have seemingly opposing viewpoints and can help them see productive ways to work together and further the University.” Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said Burnett is deeply committed to Duke. Moneta, who has worked with Burnett several times regarding various campus issues, described the candidate a a personable and analytical thinker who consistently makes informed decisions. “He is always looking six or seven moves down the road,” Moneta said. “I don’t know if he plays chess, but I think he’d kick my butt.” Burnett added that he considers himself logical and pragmatic, which helps makes him an effective leader. “I’ve always looked at leadership as an opportunity to help people, that’s why I went into medicine,” Burnett said. “I want ultimately to make a better experience for people.”
CANCER CENTER from page 1 as one of the country’s first 10 comprehensive cancer centers in 1973, said Dr. Joseph Moore, medical director of the Duke Raleigh Cancer Center, a part of DCI. The National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health designated the programs as the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dzau said this title propelled the health system to bolster their fight against cancer. Duke’s long history of success with cancer treatment correlated with former President Richard Nixon, Law ’37, signing the National Cancer Act of 1971, which encouraged patients to seek treatment at the named comprehensive cancer centers. “Nixon declared war on cancer, and with that [the NCI] started appointing specific places in the country to be areas of cancer treatment,” he said. “Duke was one of the first.” And in subsequent years, the resources available to researchers and patients have expanded even physically, culminating in the Cancer Center facility that will open to patients Feb. 27. When he was a fellow in 1975, Moore said the cancer center was a combination of oncology and hematology departments squeezed onto the second floor of the Purple Zone in Duke Hospital North. “There were four examining rooms and a very small area where labs and examining rooms were,” Moore said. “Treatments were all done in the same area, and it was quite small.” In 1978, Moore and other staff members moved into the $6.5 million Edwin A. Morris Clinical Research Building— now known as the Morris Cancer Clinic and adjacent to the Duke Cancer Center—providing them with more room to perform examinations. “We expanded quite a bit—we had around 20 examining rooms,” Moore said. “We were in the basement level, so there were no windows in the examining rooms, and we gradually outgrew this.” When the cancer divisions moved from the basement to their current area in the front of the Morris Cancer Clinic, the cancer program truly evolved, Moore said. The comprehensive center began with just three divisions of specialized cancer treatment—oncology, hematology and cell therapy. The more feasible space within the Morris Cancer Clinic allowed Duke’s cancer program to expand to 40 divisions. The Cancer Center will allow for even further development, he added. “The building is a manifestation of growth of the whole program and an improvement in the sophistication of treatment and research,” Moore said. The Cancer Center facility will eliminate some of the limitations of the Morris Center, said Tina Piccirilli, director of the Duke Center for Cancer Survivorship. One major limitation of the space was its inability to provide certain amenities—such as a resource center and garden—that give the Duke Cancer Center such a welcoming feeling. “When you see these elements that have been incorporated into the building you immediately get a sense that you’re in a comforting place and that you’re going to be cared for,” Piccirilli said. “That first impression translates into integrated care—the warm and comforting environment sets the tone for the kind of care you’ll receive.” Although the building will be a huge asset in treating cancer, it is still only one important step to a long road ahead in planning for improved cancer treatment, which will include recruiting more physicians and researchers, Dzau said. “Our work is not done, but it’s a major step,” he said. “We have other plans going forward, but it is a very big step [that is] symbolic of the cancer institute and our vision.” DCI Executive Director Dr. Michael Kastan was out of town and could not comment for this story.
Sports
>> INSIDE
The Chronicle
BLUE ZONE
WEDNESDAY February 15, 2012
Lindy Duncan holds a twoday lead in Palos Verdes, Calif. PAGE 10 Another edition of This Week in Duke Tweet, featuring Shane Battier.
www.dukechroniclesports.com
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Duke takes on ‘most improved’ Virginia Tech by Jackie Klauberg THE CHRONICLE
Despite its unblemished ACC record, Duke has little breathing room down the stretch—even against one of the conference’s weakest teams. The No. 5 Blue Devils (21-3, 12-0 in the ACC) will look to increase their one-game ACC lead at Cameron Indoor Stadium against Virginia Tech (7-18, 3-9) at 7 p.m. Virginia Wednesday. The last Tech time the two teams vs. met, Duke blew out No. 5 the Hokies on their Duke home court by 27 points. But with just WEDNESDAY, 7 p.m. Cameron Indoor Stadium four regular season games left, the Blue Devils cannot overlook Virginia Tech on their quest for a repeat ACC title. “I would call them the most improved team in the league,” Blue Devil head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “They went to Maryland and beat Maryland. That’s pretty impressive.” The Hokies struck the entire ACC by surprise when they upset then-No. 8 Maryland on the Terrapins’ home floor Jan. 26. Since then, though, Virginia Tech has lost four straight games, including a narrow loss to Boston College in Blacksburg Monday night, handing the Eagles their first conference win. The Hokies are led by guards Monet Tellier and Aerial Wilson, who average 14.4
and 11.0 points per game, respectively. “We are really concerned about Tellier,” McCallie said. LaTorri Hines Allen, a 6-foot-1 forward will likely match up with Blue Devil Elizabeth Williams on the block. Allen leads the Hokies on the glass, averaging 7.0 rebounds per game, but gives up two inches to the freshman. Williams has been dominant on the defensive end of the floor this season, averaging 8.4 rebounds and 3.9 blocks, the second-highest mark in the nation. Duke also continues to sport a very balanced offense behind point guard Chelsea Gray. The sophomore leads the conference in assists per game with 6.2, helping three of her teammates—Williams, Haley Peters and Tricia Liston—average over 10 points per game, while scoring 11.2 per contest herself. The Blue Devils look to improve on a strong shooting night against Florida State last Sunday. The team shot 5-for-8 from beyond the arc and 49 percent overall from the floor. Although Duke beat the Seminoles, McCallie was insistent that her team still must make improvements. “There are lots of things that we want to do better that we did not do well in the Florida State game,” McCallie said. “We still want to get better from every game. Boston College and Florida State provided us a lot of areas for improvement. We have been working on these things and hope to apply these to Virginia Tech.”
TYLER SEUC/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO
Chelsea Gray averages an ACC-best 6.2 assists per game, allowing three teammates to average double figures.
SWIMMING AND DIVING
Blue Devils prepare for ACC championships Christine Wixted leads all qualifiers by nearly a second in 100-yard breaststroke
TYLER SEUC/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO
This week, Duke will look to improve on its seventh-place finish at last year’s ACC championships.
The Duke women’s swimming and diving team, along with the men’s diving squad, enter postseason competition this week at the ACC championships in Christiansburg, Va. at ACC Championships the Christiansburg Aquatic WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY Center from Christiansburg Aquatic Center Feb. 15-18. Christiansburg, Va. The Blue Devils (2-7, 1-6 in the ACC) will look to improve on their seventh place finish last year, though all three conference title winners from the 2011 squad will not compete this week, including defending ACC diver of the year Abby Johnston. Four-time defending conference champion No. 11 Virginia (8-0, 4-0) highlights a deep, 11-school field that includes three other teams in the nation’s top 25. Senior Jessica Lyden will lead the women’s diving squad throughout the week. She has emerged as one of the con-
ference’s best three-meter springboard diver in Johnston’s absence, and also holds the second-highest ACC score from the one-meter springboard. On the men’s side, Cody Kolodziejzyk ranks sixth in both the one- and three-meter platform dives with top scores of 363.80 and 393.20, respectively. He will also compete in the men’s platform dive, along with teammates Shawn Hoffman, Jordan Long and Clay Pinckney. Sophomore Christine Wixted is the top seed in the 100-yard breaststroke, qualifying with a time of 1:00.97, almost a full second faster than the secondplace qualifier. She also qualified third in the 200-yard breaststroke. Junior Cara Vogel will look to improve upon her school-record performance in the 200-yard backstroke, which netted her 12th place at last year’s conference championship. She qualified in ninth, one spot ahead of teammate senior Meghan Dwyer.
10 | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012
THE CHRONICLE
fromstaffreports
JAMES LEE/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO
Duncan takes lead at Northrop Grumman Challenge
Blue Devils fly to Hawaii for John Burns Intercollegiate
Duke women’s golf sits in fourth place heading into Wednesday’s final round at the Northrop Grumman Challenge after shooting an 18-over-par 302. No. 1 UCLA holds an 18-stroke lead with a two-round total of 570. Southern California, Pepperdine and Arizona State round out the top five at the par 71 Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes, Calif. Blue Devil junior Lindy Duncan, the nation’s top ranked golfer, owns the individual lead after shooting an even-par 71 to give her a total of 140. UCLA’s Erynne Lee and Tiffany Lua sit one and two strokes behind Duncan, respectively. Duke sophomore Alejandra Cangrejo, who was tied for third with three other golfers at 1-under-par after round one, fired a 79 in her second effort. She now sits tied for 26th. Junior Stacey Kim shot 6-over-par on her first nine holes, but played even-par on the back nine to finish with a 77. Sophomore Laetitia Beck was playing an even-par round heading into the final five holes, but she faltered down the stretch with four bogeys. Her two-round total of 154 ties her for 48th place. Freshman Irene Jung shot an 80 and is tied for 63rd with her total of 158. The Blue Devils will return to the course tomorrow at 11 a.m.
The Blue Devil men’s golf team kicks off its spring schedule Wednesday at the John Burns Collegiate in Kahuku, O’ahu, Hawaii. The tournament will be held at the 7,218-yard, par 72 Arnold Palmer Course at Turtle Bay Resort. No. 17 Duke is led by Julian Suri, who is ranked 29th in the nation by GolfWeek. He had a 71.2 stroke average through the fall, highlighted by a win at the Rod Myers Invitational.
Check out the Blue Zone, at sports.chronicleblogs.com, and follow us on Twitter at @chroniclesports for breaking news about all Duke sports.
CLASSIFIEDS
Lindy Duncan leads the pack at the Northrup Grumman Challenge with a two-round total of 140.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
ESSENTIALS OF HR COURSE
A LOT OF CARS INC. Most vehicles $595-$795 down $250$280/month. 250+ Vehicles. Layaway option w/$500. Financing Guaranteed! Duke ID $150 discount. 20+ cars between $999-$2995 cash. www.alotofcarsnc.com. Owned by Duke Alumni 919-220-7155
Take this 2 day overview for an introduction to the 6 main areas of HR on 3/13-14. Register now at learnmore.duke.edu/certificates/hr 919-684-6259.
HOLTON PRIZE FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
$500 Cash Awards Application deadline is April 18. Three cash awards of $500 will be given for outstanding investigative research, curriculum development work, and innovative projects in Education-related fields. For more information: http://educationprogram.duke. edu/undergraduate/awards or email zoila.airall@duke.edu; jrigg@duke.edu; or bcj3@duke. edu.
STUDY ABROAD WITH ARCADIA! A representative will be on campus on Wednesday Feb. 15 from 3-5pm to meet with you in the Alpine Atrium Coffeehouse in the Bryan Center. Visit http://www. arcadia.edu/abroad or email chamberm@arcadia.edu for more info. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION SCHOLARSHIP Are you constantly coming up with innovative ways to apply technology to solve problems? Would you like to get help funding your NC education using those problemsolving skills? TTEC is giving away $10,000 in scholarships for Fall 2012 Please visit our website www.ttecscholarship.net Application Deadline: March 1, 2012 Email sepps@ncttec.net
LIVING WITHOUT ENEMIES: A Book Study and Discussion -ALL STUDENTS & EMPLOYEES ARE INVITED / BOOKS WILL BE PROVIDED --
Discussion with authors Dean Sam Wells & Marcia Owen, and Cynthia Johnson, Marketplace Lead Cook and mother of homicide victim Tony Williams. The book explores four dimensions of social justice engagement through the relationships of Durham’s victims, offenders, and faith community members. YOU’RE INVITED!!! WHEN: 7:00-8:30pm, Tuesdays, Feb 21 and 28 WHERE: The Chapel Basement Sponsored by Duke Wesley Fellowship. MORE INFO & BOOK: zimmerman.samuel@gmail.com or 814-279-7110.
RESEARCH STUDIES PARTICIPANTS ARE NEEDED FOR STUDIES of visual and hearing function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These studies are conducted at the Brain Imaging and Analysis Center (BIAC) at Duke University Medical Center. Participants should be 18 years or older and should have no history of brain injury or disease. Most studies last between 1-2 hours, and participants are paid approximately $20/hr. Please contact the BIAC volunteer coordinator at 681-9344 or volunteer@ biac.duke.edu for additional information. You can also visit our website at www.biac.duke.edu.
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10 | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012
Grounds for dismissal The Anil Potti affair took go to print and to be used as a new turn this Sunday when a basis for human clinical triJoseph Nevins, Barbara Levine als. The potential human cost professor of cancer genomics of this error, in addition to and former mentor to Potti, Nevins’ status as a prominent, stated publicly on the televi- endowed professor affiliated sion program with a prestieditorial “60 Minutes” gious University that it was research group, “abundantly clear” that Potti means that he must be held achad intentionally falsified his countable for these flaws. The data. This statement, although magnitude of these errors is an important and honest con- extremely large, and thus far, fessional on the part of Nevins, Potti seems to have taken the raises questions about the be- bulk of the repercussions. havior of this professor who, First and foremost, we beuntil now, has played second lieve Duke should temporarifiddle to Potti in terms of his ly suspend Nevins’ professorresponsibility for the errors ship. At a minimum, Nevins’ and has faced no repercus- behavior regarding this false sions from the University. research was negligent—at Nevins mentored Potti worst he was complicit in and collaborated as a senior the falsification of results. author with Potti on the dis- Given the evidence available puted research, allowing it to to the public on this matter,
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Excellent column and I agree completely. Thanks for reminding us about the true nature of love. —“slik_nik” commenting on the column “Remembering love.” See more at www.dukechronicle.com.
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we consider that, as a senior author, Nevins should have conducted his own personal investigation into the validity of the results obtained as soon as they were called into question—that is, in 2009 when biostatisticians Keith Baggerly and Kevin Coombes of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center submitted their concerns about the research to the Annals of Applied Statistics. Two reviews of the falsification of Potti’s research are currently in progress—an external review conducted by the Institute of Medicine continues and an internal review conducted by the University—to determine if research misconduct occurred. These reviews both remain confidential, in keeping with
federal guidelines. Both of these investigations should put Nevins on the hook and aim to determine his level of responsibility in the matter. As we see it, Nevins could have followed one of two paths. The first possibility: After the initial questions raised by Baggerly and Coombes, Nevins should have scrutinized his and Potti’s work with great care to determine if errors had occurred. If he undertook this scrutiny but failed to produce any conclusions of falsification or did not endeavor to do so until later in 2010, when Potti’s qualifications were called into question, he was negligent and irresponsible as a researcher. The second possibility: Nevins reviewed Potti’s data
and discovered that it was falsified—a conclusion he managed to reach by the Feb. 12 “60 minutes” show. If he knew of the falsification before Potti’s suspension and allowed publications and clinical trials to go forward, he has committed an egregious violation of ethical standards. Given either of these situations, we see grounds for the termination of Nevins’ position at the Duke University Medical Center. However, because of the secretive nature surrounding the investigation of this episode and the complicated workings of medical research, we defer to Duke’s institutional process in the hopes that the University will deliver sanctions to Nevins that reflect the severity of his involvement.
I’ll take no lectures
onlinecomment
Est. 1905
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think we need to have a talk. And then there’s your crudest point, which is to You’ve been giving me dirty looks because take the worst element of a given sector and genI’m not considering—at the moment, any- eralize it to all employees in that sector. Yes, some way—a career in the world-saving Wall Street bankers have broken the industry. When I get back from intrust of the public. Yes, some Cathoterviews at Smith Warehouse, you lic priests have been embroiled in roll your eyes, as if I’m planning to sex scandals. Yes, some public serthrow away my entire Duke educavants (or “politicians,” as the rest tion and upbringing as a nice libof us refer to them) have been coreral arts student for the worthless rupt. What’s your point again? pursuit of making money. Now, many of you will argue If you know me somewhat well, that the problem isn’t that some jeremy ruch you’ve probably told me more than people work in these industries, run and tell that once in the last few weeks that I’m but rather that so many Duke grad“selling my soul.” Endless case interuates seem to wind up in them. view practice, in turn, makes me wonder whether First of all, I’d (partially) contest that. Despite I should use cost-based or value-based pricing on paying students far less than other employers, that sale. Teach for America has been the top employer Well, I’ve been thinking about your points. At of Duke students as far back as the online data times over the past few weeks, I’ve almost felt a lit- I can find goes. tle guilty. And now, I’ve wound up at a single, final But taking your point that the list of top Duke conclusion: I’m done taking lectures from you. hirers does include quite a few banks and consulLet’s start with the obvious point: You’re a tancies, you might stop trying to guilt us future hypocrite. While you lambaste the greedy bank- grads, and instead rethink your presumed emers of Wall Street and the suit-clad C-Suite execu- brace of capitalism. tives of top consulting firms, you happily enjoy the Indeed, one of the (many) faults of capitalism benefits of an education largely provided for you is that the people with the most money can recruit by those very sectors. Contrary to popular belief, the best talent to work for them. Now, if society Duke’s endowment is not provided by a not-for- suddenly determined that not-for-profit employprofit. If you were really committed to your belief ees were lacking in number, the salaries for those that the folks who go into these industries are fields would go up, and equilibrium would be wasting their talent, surely you would be less will- restored. But the very premise of our economic ing to bask in the fruits of their labor. system is that no career has more or less inherent Moreover, the normative standards you’ve es- value than another; their value is what society is tablished for what constitutes an ideal career are willing to pay for them. at best arbitrary, and at worst wholly senseless. Of course, this system has flaws. Among othPedagogical on-campus banker-bashers have in er things, it means teachers aren’t paid nearly the past cited start-ups or public service as more enough. But attacking smart people for doing worthy exploits. I agree—start-ups are wonderful precisely what capitalism predicts they will (purcontributors to society. But since the American sue capital), will not change anything. Red Cross, to my knowledge, does not provide That’s not to demean your decision to pursue seed funding, someone else is going to have to ful- whatever career your heart desires—just let me do fill the role of investing in them. the same. Society needs teachers. It needs public Public service is also an excellent (if usually servants. And it also needs bankers. So let’s stop inefficient) way to help our society grow. But pub- trying to guilt each other into picking this or that lic servants need to earn salaries, too. And since career. about 70 percent of the total federal income tax is Because in the end, people will be most propaid by the top 10 percent of earners, I’m pretty ductive in the career they choose for themselves. sure those bankers and consultants you love to hate are going to be paying a healthy chunk of Jeremy Ruch is a Trinity junior. His column runs evyour salary. ery other Wednesday.
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 | 11
commentaries
The Socialites
Tis the season to be a whore
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don’t really partake in hookups. As a sophomore, I know most of the kids I see out regularly, and I am not trying to make out with “that creepy guy from stats” or “the boy who has a cat fetish” (freshmen, this WILL happen to you). Additionally, I’m taken. See, my preschool boyfriend Michael and I never technically broke up, and so I obviously remain faithful. In 1996, we went as Aladdin and Jasmine for Halloween. It was special. I recently, however, had a rude lillie reed awakening. After an AMAZING wumbology game against UNC, I was in the swarm of people greeting the basketball players’ bus. It was in this mob that something terrifying happened: Someone sat on my head. I mean that in the least sexual way possible. They were on someone’s shoulders and seemed to think that my head was a great intermediate for their butt to use to adjust to standing position. I realized that the only thing keeping me alive was me, and I fought my way out from under the ensuing death-by-butt and into the open air. Breathing in the sweet smell of stale beer and wet boy, it hit me. First, I am a survivor on par with Destiny’s Child and Gloria Gaynor. Second, during my brush with death, when it flashed before my eyes, my life was pretty underwhelming. Other than when Barack Obama laughed at me (true story) and when I was voted biggest nerd in high school (Who has two thumbs and did Science Olympiad? THIS GUY), I was kinda lame. So I decided I would take a page out of ’90s British pop’s book and Spice Up My Life. And I would start with Valentine’s Day. Why Valentine’s? Because, prepare for a shocker: I’ve never had a Valentine. On Valentine’s Days past, I have either been vehemently against celebrating the holiday because I am ridiculously uncomfortable with romance, or single. I technically had a Valentine once—it was sixth grade, and I bought him a waterproof deck of cards. On Feb. 15, he told me he liked one of my friends. I didn’t get it. I mean, what wasn’t to like? My hair was almost past my chin from fourth grade’s bowl cut, and I wore a different shade of neon eye shadow every day of the week. Plus, I had one of those scrunchy shirts that condensed to Barbie-size when it wasn’t on my body. I was a straight CATCH. So I started to look for my first real valentine. But, surprisingly, I wasn’t the only one fresh on the market. Around Valentine’s Day, it was as if every hastily-formed couple at Duke said “You know what, maybe this relationship isn’t for me. I’ve got a lot going on with pledging/schoolwork/my fantasy league, and I think I just want to do me for a while.” Duke was flooded with newly-single people, all on the prowl. I’m fairly certain that mid-February starts some kind of Christmas season of whoredom. Stocking stuffer: chlamydia. It was going to be tough, so I started fast. I sent “check yes/no” notes in class. I nonchalantly put my arm behind boys at parties. I invited guys to my room to see my pet snake (His name is Steven the Destroyer. He’s HUGE! It’s because of all the mice I feed him). I even went to Shootskies and danced up behind a guy. He jumped away and said I was crazy. I’m expecting a call any day now. The competition was stiff, so I employed a new method: hard-toget. I sauntered into society with disdain. I blatantly friendzoned, kept my pinky out and only walked on my tiptoes because it looks daintier. All this to send a single message: win me over, boys. This plan backfired. I had finally snagged a suitor. He was tall, sweaty and barely had vodka breath. We went to a club, and I could tell from his pelvic thrusts that we might have something special. But possibly from loss of muscle mass because of tiptoeing so much, I was thrown onto the ground by the momentum. I stood up, brushed myself off and only cried for half of the cab ride home. So I didn’t get a valentine this year. But I’m with my fellow socialite on this one: Being single is kind of awesome. I’m not interested in any kind of relationship with just anyone, and I’m willing to wait for a good one to come around. Tis the season to be a whore, and although I won’t be doing THAT, I am going to enjoy every ounce of my independence. To all the single ladies and gentlemen out there: I encourage you to do the same. You’re only in college once. I say, LIVE IT UP! Oh and to Michael, my preschool boyfriend: Did I do something wrong? It’s been like, literally 15 years. Call me? Lillie Reed is a Trinity sophomore. Her installation of the weekly Socialites column runs on alternate Wednesdays. Follow Lillie on Twitter @LillieReed
Harping on Young Trustee
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ast Friday night, we learned that Kaveh mentioned how Olly Wilson’s and Kaveh Danesh’s Danesh won the Young Trustee election. ideas “align” with those of their organization. Though I think Danesh will do an excellent Blue Devils United indicated their belief that job during his three-year term on Olly Wilson would be the “best stuthe Board, elements of the endorsedent representative.” Duke Demoment process concern me. crats even blatantly referenced the The establishment of the Young concept of an agenda, positing that Trustee position was one of Terry Olly Wilson’s “record of activism on Sanford’s lesser accomplishments. campus proves that he will advocate Yet the process of choosing the posifor our agenda of social responsibiltion has caused an uproar from the ity and diversity inclusion.” undergraduate student body over The above endorsements indiellie bullard the past decades of its existence. cate that many student organizations as we know it Debates about how the Young believe that the YT has the power— Trustee (hereafter written as YT) seindeed, the responsibility—to reprelection process should progress have been raging sent their own pockets of interest on the Board of long before 2009, when Duke Student Government Trustees. This understanding is in direct conflict with voted to open the controversial selection process to Sanford’s and Blue’s conception of the position. the general student body as an election. The goal I do not mean in any way to berate student of that change made sense—that the student body groups for choosing the candidate that best emwould collectively be able to choose the candidate bodies their own values. In an election that’s run best fit for the job. The problem is that students may much the same as those for DSG representatives, not actually understand the purpose of the YT. students are invariably led to believe that they Sanford had clarified this purpose of the YT in should vote for the candidate that best echoes their a memorandum in 1977: “The reason for including beliefs. Although more endorsements are a handy students on the Board of Trustees was quite different way of signaling which candidate is most broadly from representation. The desire was to get younger engaged with the University, the process can also members on the Board … whose viewpoint, close to encourage student groups to think that Young students, would be a valuable addition.” Trustees will plead their cause to the Board. In February of 2010, Dan Blue, the current Therefore it must be made clear to students that chair of the Board of Trustees, reiterated San- the YT will not be actively or specifically fighting for ford’s explanation in a rare appeal to undergradu- Duke’s undergraduate student groups or for their ates, reminding students again of the role of the ideals. Before they endorse a candidate or vote, YT. “While having experience with a particular students should have realistic and accurate expecconstituency … Trustees are asked not to be ad- tations of the YT. Perhaps DSG’s attorney general vocates for that constituency, but for Duke as a and the Board of Elections should have more of a whole—always thinking of what is best to support responsibility to make student groups understand the overall mission of the University” he said. why they are endorsing a candidate and how they The role of YT is undoubtedly one of the most should go about doing so. If this is not possible, powerful positions the student body can bestow then the endorsement process should not exist. upon one of its members. But however powerful We do ourselves, the Young Trustees, the Board and prestigious it may be, the YT is not supposed of Trustees and Duke a disservice if we believe that to represent the student body. Rather, the YT is the YT is a representative of the student body. The an added perspective on the Board dedicated to YT is more than that. The YT safeguards the well enhancing Duke’s horizons, not merely just for its being and successful trajectory of Duke as a whole. undergraduates. Like other Trustees, he or she comes from a speMany students don’t understand that the YT is cific background—a background that helps the not supposed to be an advocate or representative Board make informed decisions. Expecting the for the student body, much less for specific fac- YT—or any other Trustee—to elevate the interests tions within it. Student endorsements from this of their background above that of other Duke conelection cycle reflect this misunderstanding. stituencies is unfair and unprofessional. Quoting directly from endorsements published The student body has become disconnected last week in The Chronicle, the Environmental Al- from the true purpose of the Young Trustee posiliance reasoned that Olly Wilson was “best suited to tion. The new process works—but students must represent the sentiments of the undergraduate envi- understand its real meaning. ronmental community.” Engineering Student Government argued that Kaveh Danesh “will best repEllie Bullard is a Trinity junior. Her column runs resent our voice.” Baldwin Scholars and Diya both every other Wednesday.
lettertotheeditor Dear Duke colleagues, Yesterday evening I watched the production by “60 Minutes” entitled “Deception at Duke” and the program evoked many painful emotions about this unfortunate situation, and specifically led me think about Dr. Joseph Nevins (Joe). I cannot and will not comment on the issues precipitated by the almost certainly fraudulent behavior of Dr. Anil Potti. Rather, I write to remind the Duke community what Joe has done for us. First and foremost, Joe and his colleagues made seminal discoveries regarding how our genes are expressed. Work on E2F transcription factors revealed beautiful details of this regulation and uncovered pathways that are disrupted in cancers. Much of this work was nothing less than spectacular. Additionally, while carrying out this important work, countless scientists were trained and mentored. These contributions to science and Duke should not be forgotten. Second, Joe has always been ready to help Duke in terms of leadership and service. When a long-standing training program in genetics was foundering, Joe helped revive it, when the institution needed a department of genetics
Joe was tapped to lead it, and he further served Duke by helping marry it to the department of microbiology. As founding chair of the new Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Joe was instrumental in developing one of the strongest basic science departments in the institution. His service extended to teaching and mentoring of students, postdoctoral fellows and many of us who were privileged to have him as chair. The institution and its citizens should not overlook this. Finally, Joe was a caring colleague and loyal friend to many of us in the faculty at Duke. I urge the Duke community to consider that together with a full, open and self-critical investigation of issues discussed in “60 Minutes,” we must also remember and recognize the outstanding contributions of Dr. Joseph Nevins. Best wishes, Dr. Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and Medicine Director, Duke Center for RNA Biology
12 | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012
PHYSICS from page 1 department,” Executive Vice President Tallman Trask said. The cost of renovating the existing building to make it conducive to labs and experiments would cost approximately as much as building a new facility—about $30 million—but funding is one of the major obstacles for the progress of the project, Trask said. “We lost a lot of money in 2008, [and] it still hasn’t come back,” he said. “We’ve got to figure out how to pay for this, and that will affect, in part, what we decide to do.” Duke Facilities Management is currently conducting a study to work through the logistics of the project, including where a new building might fit, and what could potentially be housed there, Pearce said. He added that the study should be completed by the end of the academic year. Lack of sufficient funding, as well as the prioritization of other campus construction projects, has impeded work on the building. Pearce said, however, that the project is beginning to take shape. Gao said she would like the project to begin as soon as possible, since the current building impedes scholarly work. “The main issue is the [air conditioning] system of the building,” she said. “Professor[s and] students cannot run experiments during a certain part of the year, like summer, when the temperature and the humidity are difficult.” Gao added that she realizes it will take time to acquire funding and plan the project.
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“We hope it [will] not take too long, but realistically I don’t see how this can happen in even three years,” she said. Gao also noted that she would prefer to have a new fully furnished building over a partial add-on. “Having lab space in the new building and then having offices in the other building... is a way to go in the short term, but long term—for professors and students and others who do research in physics—we’d like to do one building where you do research [and] teach your class,” she said. Trask said there are other projects on the University’s agenda that have priority over the Physics Building, including the West Union Building, Baldwin Auditorium and Page Auditorium. Updating the Physics Building is a priority for the University, Trask said, and it fits in with recent changes made to other science buildings, including renovations to the Biological Sciences Building in the past decade, and the construction of the French Family Science Center in 2006 and the Fitzpatrick Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences in 2004. Despite the timeline, Pearce said plans to address Physics Building are coming together. “It’s been discussed for a long time... because the building’s in such bad shape, but this has gotten serious now [with discussion of] a way to sort out the pieces and make it work,” Pearce said.
qduke.com
BUDGET from page 3
BANGKOK from page 4
security federal employees were promised,” National Federation of Federal Employees President William R. Dougan said in an email to reporters. A federal employee earning $50,000 annually would have to pay an additional $600 each year for their retirement, without any changes to benefits, Dougan said. “In the wake of a two-year pay freeze, which effectively cut workers pay by thousands after inflation, another $600 bill to pay would be difficult to bear.” Patricia Niehaus, national president of the Federal Managers Association, said Obama’s different civilian and military pay proposals ignores legislative precedent on giving equal raises for civilian workers and the troops. “Pay parity,” as it is known, is justified because “civil servants and their military counterparts often work side-by-side to ensure the safety of our country,” Niehaus said. The budget proposal also projects that federal employment levels will remain essentially flat in fiscal 2013, increasing by 0.1 percent, or 2,400, to 2,110,000 from the 2012 estimated level. That figure is not a “head count” but rather a measure of work-year equivalents that includes part-time and seasonal workers; it does not include postal employees. The 2011 actual level was 2,102,400. Among Cabinet departments, growth is projected at only four, with a 4,300-job increase at Veterans Affairs due to increased demand, an additional 1,400 employees at the Department of Homeland Security mostly for airport and border security, and fewer than 1,000 new jobs at the Justice Department for new federal prisons. The Treasury Department would add about 3,600 positions, mainly for increased tax enforcement, which the administration called “an investment that more than pays for itself.”
the killings of its scientists, Israeli diplomatic missions have been on heightened alert in recent days for possible attacks linked to the anniversary of the assassination of a top Hezbollah commander, Imad Mughniyeh, in Damascus four years ago. The Israeli minister for public security, Yitzhak Aharonovich, said Tuesday that in view of the latest incidents abroad he has ordered the police in Israel to “raise the level of alert, with an emphasis on public places,” for possible attacks inside the country. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that security has been heightened around foreign embassies, in bus and train stations, in malls and at Ben-Gurion International Airport. Correspondent Simon Denyer in New Delhi contributed to this report.
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