Feb. 16, 2012 issue

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

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012

ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 99

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ELECTION 2012

Obama camp opens office in Durham

by Vignesh Krishnaswamy THE CHRONICLE

The grassroots branch of President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign has set up shop in the Bull City.

Organizing for America North Carolina, the state chapter of the campaign organization, opened a Durham office in an official ceremony Wednesday. The group aims to boost support for Obama and Democrats in 2012 through voter registration, voter education and field organizing efforts. About 70 Durham residents, campaign volunteers and local officials attended the opening with the wish to repeat Obama’s 2008 success in Durham County this November. The office—one of six in North Carolina—will serve as the hub for local involvement in the next nine months.

“I want to get President Obama re-elected,” Durham Mayor Bill Bell, a Democrat, said in an interview. “None of the unprecedented enthusiasm in Durham for President Obama has gone away, just look at this event around you tonight.... Durham County knows how to get it done and we have high expectations.”

Obama won Durham County handily in 2008 by approximately 52 percentage points compared to opponent Sen. John SEE OFFICE ON PAGE 6

67 DUKE

VT 45

Liston, Williams lead Duke past Virginia Tech

by Brady Buck THE CHRONICLE

Sporting special-edition uniforms with pink trim for breast cancer awareness, No. 5 Duke got to the free throw line early and often to defeat Virginia Tech 67-45, giving the Blue Devils their second victory over the Hokies this season.

Unfortunately, Duke (22-3, 13-0 in the ACC) may have lost its third major contributor this season in the process. Midway through the first half, sophomore forward Richa Jackson was fouled on a fast break layup and had to be helped off the court. Jackson, who injured her left knee, did not return to the game will have an MRI tomorrow.

“For a team that’s taken a lot of hits, with different things happening, and now with Richa out, it’s starting to really get you fired up,” Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie said. “That’s three starters out if you think about it, with Amber [Henson], Chloe [Wells] and Richa.”

Despite the lopsided final score, Virginia Tech (7-19, 3-10) gave Duke all they could handle in the first half. Junior guard Aerial Wilson’s superb shooting allowed the Hokies to even take the lead for a brief stint midway through the first half. Wilson was 3-for-6 from long range and had 15 of the Hokies’ 26 first half points, enabling them to go into the locker room only down by nine.

“I thought we handled their pressure pretty good early in the game,” Virginia Tech head coach Dennis Wolff said.

A pesky defensive scheme centered around

TORI POWERS/THE CHRONICLE

Sophomore Chelsea Gray scored 15 points 67-45 win over Virginia Tech. double-teaming freshman forward Elizabeth Williams was effective in holding the 6-foot-4 post to just five points in the first half. With aggressive halfcourt defense and lack of interior size, though, the Hokies racked up 11 fouls in the first half, putting the Blue Devils on the line 20 times. Duke converted 14 of

GRADUATE YOUNG TRUSTEE

Evans seeks to improve graduate student unity

by Arden Kreeger THE CHRONICLE

TYLER SEUC/THE CHRONICLE

Although it is only his second year on campus, Will Evans wants to restore the University’s commitment to academic integrity and liberal arts education if elected graduate Young Trustee.

Evans, a second-year master’s candidate in Slavic and Eastern European and Eurasian studies with a focus on contemporary Russia, said problems in the graduate and professional schools could best be addressed through a focus on interdisciplinary relationships among graduates and between undergraduates, as well as by improving career and alumni resources.

“We need to re-evaluate the relationship the school has to its graduate students,” he said. “Graduate students are a majority on campus now, and there are still

Will Evans is a second-year master’s candidate in Slavic and Eastern European and Eurasian studies.

those, with six different players contributing from the charity stripe. Sophomore wing Haley Peters paced Duke offensively in the first half, scoring nine of her 11 points in the first half on mostly mid-range jumpers.

SEE W. BASKETBALL ON PAGE 8

Blue Devils welcome rival Wolfpack

by Brady Buck THE CHRONICLE

Tonight’s in-state rivalry game between Duke and North Carolina State at Cameron Indoor Stadium marks the beginning N.C. of a new and exciting era for the State Wolfpack program. vs.

Outside of the Blue Devils and No. 4 North Carolina, the ACC has lacked Duke quality depth at the top during recent years. Part of this downturn can be atThursday, 9 p.m.

Cameron Indoor Stadium tributed to N.C. State’s recent struggles, however, first year head coach Mark Gottfried has quickly returned a program with rich

SEE EVANS ON PAGE 12 SEE M. BASKETBALL ON PAGE 7

ONTHERECORD

Duncan prevails in California, Page 7

“Negativity? But don’t all sororities just looooooooove recruitment?”

—Mia Lehrer in “My sorostiboots are brown, btw.” See column page 10

DSG to consider surplus account structure, Page 3

2 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012

THE CHRONICLE

worldandnation

Colleges looking beyond lecture style of teaching

The lecture hall is under attack.

Science, math and engineering departments at many universities are abandoning or retooling the lecture as a style of teaching, worried that it is driving students away.

The faculty at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore has dedicated this academic year to finding alternatives to the lecture in those subjects. Johns Hopkins, Harvard University and even the White House have hosted events in which scholars have assailed the lecture.

Lecture classrooms are the big box retailers of academia, paragons of efficiency. One professor can teach hundreds of students in a single room, trailed by a retinue of teaching assistants.

But higher education leaders increasingly blame the format for high attrition in science and math classes. They say the lecture is a turn-off, higher education at its most passive, leading to frustration and bad grades in highly challenging disciplines.

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onschedule at Duke...

Perkins Breedlove Room, 12-1:30 p.m.

Mark Mazower, author and history professor at Columbia University, will talk about the emergence of NGOs and relevant topics.

The Written, Unwritten and Unspoken Perkins Library 218, 12-1:30 p.m.

This lunchtime discussion between faculty, staff and students will cover the hot topics in Civic Engagement.

Palin’s influence stays strong Role of foreign currency among cheering crowds grows in North Korea WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a conference of conservative activists last week, there were stacks of Sarah Palin books and Sarah Palin posters. A special screening of a film about Palin was planned. And after skipping the gathering for four years, Palin herself had agreed at last to give the keynote address.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea is turning to the kinds of private business activity that it technically considers criminal, allowing commerce driven by private citizens with stashes of foreign currency.

Recent defectors and economists describe an emergent underground capitalism.

Why Occupy? Understanding the Occupy Movement Law School 4055, 12:15-1:15 p.m.

Professor Jed Purdy will discuss the Occupy movement and his experiences visiting Occupy Wall Street. Lunch will be served.

Information Night for Hindi Studies at Duke John Hope Franklin Center 028, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

This info session will cover Fall ‘12 AMES classes, the Hindi Major and Minor, the Duke in India Program and more.

TODAY IN HISTORY 1923: Archaeologists open tomb of King Tut.

”

“The Blue Devils’ strong win over the Tar Heels shot them up in the rankings, catapulting them from No. 10 to No. 5 in the AP poll while the Heels sunk from No. 5 to No. 8. Still, not everyone is as sold on the Blue Devils, such as Seth Davis who kept Duke at No. 7 on his ballot.”

— From The Blue Zone bluezone.dukechronicle.com

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NGOs, The Cold War and the Idea of Civil Society

I’m a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of clouds.

— Mike Tyson

on the

FRIDAY:

TODAY:

on the

calendar

Independence Day Lithuania

Flag Day Turkmenistan

Armed Forces Day BRENDON O’HAGAN/THE BLOOMBERG NEWS

A helicopter flies past an A.P. Moeller-Maersk cargo loaded with shipping containers as it sails out of port in Auckland, New Zealand. Maersk is an industry leader in developing biofuels made from organic waste, which could cut its carbon emissions and reduce the annual fuel bill by $6 billion.

Mexico

Shivaji Jayanti India

THE CHRONICLE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012 | 3

DUKE STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Senate to consider change to surplus account structure

by Patton Callaway THE CHRONICLE

In the coming weeks, Duke Student Government will be exploring a strategy to stretch student dollars a little further and make better use of surplus funding.

President Pete Schork, a senior, proposed changes to the current surplus

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DSG President Pete Schork speaks at the weekly Senate meeting Wednesday evening.

account bylaw by suggesting the creation of a surplus account trustee board at the Senate meeting Wednesday. The surplus account is funded annually by unallocated money cleared from the Student Organization Finance Committee’s surplus programming fund and the unspent money in DSG’s general account, at the end of each academic year. This structure was implemented in the 2010-2011 academic year, after DSG decided to let surplus group funding roll over from year to year in groups’ individual accounts, as funded by SOFC. Currently, groups present requests for programming or other funding to the Senate during meetings, giving DSG members little warning and time to deliberate the best use of the surplus account, Schork said. The change to the bylaw would implement a smaller committee—the surplus account trustee board—comprised of the DSG president, executive vice president, SOFC chair, DSG treasurer and four appointed senators to oversee the surplus account, process any expenditure requests and make recommendations.

“The goal is to optimize students’ bang for their buck, and the Senate is not best equipped to think about these allocations during the allotted meeting time,” Schork said. “[The committee] empowers the Senate with more information.”

SEE DSG ON PAGE 12

‘Smackdown’ challenges Duke to be eco-friendly

by Andrew Luo THE CHRONICLE

There is no better time for Blue Devils to go green.

Starting Feb. 27, Sustainable Duke will host its inaugural “Green Devil Smackdown” as a part of the ongoing campus effort to raise awareness for environmental sustainability and to become carbon-neutral by 2024. As an eight-week challenge promoting sustainable behaviors on campus, the Smackdown competition encourages teams to take environmentally friendly measures, such as carpooling or biking.

Teams of 10—comprised of students, faculty and staff—will compete for an array of prizes, including men’s basketball tickets, a new bicycle and an Amazon Kindle. At the end of the contest, the team that earns the highest average points per participant—points accrue as team members use sustainable measures—will not only win a custom Green Devil championship belt, but the University will also buy carbon offsets to neutralize the team’s carbon emissions at the University.

Casey Roe, sustainability outreach coordinator for Sustainable Duke, said more than 3,000 people have participated in the organization’s Green Devil Challenges such as pledging to power down electronics during certain hours of the day or take public transportation.

With 17 teams comprised of 150 people total already signed up for the first year of the Smackdown competition, Roe

said she is encouraged by the initial support for the contest and is looking to increase participation before the competition begins in two weeks.

“We tried to make an event that would give a competitive spirit and get more people engaged,” Roe said. “[Smackdown] is different than anything we have advertised before, so we hope it will reach out to new people throughout this month.”

The competition is also a convenient way to learn about sustainability measures on campus, Roe said. One of the weekly challenges, for example, is to obtain a GoPass and register for WeCar. The idea behind the Smackdown competition stemmed from the 10-week faculty fitness competition Shape Up Duke, said Paul Grantham, assistant vice president at the Office of Communication Services. The program prompted 2,700 Duke employees to exercise regularly, and Grantham had the idea to apply the same concept to sustainability awareness.

“We’ve had success in the past with competitions as the way to engage people,” Grantham said. “People tracked their steps take, weight lost and exercise minutes.... The program gave participants a sense of team and individual involvement.”

The ultimate goal of the Shape Up program was to promote lasting healthy living habits and Grantham said the SEE GREEN DEVIL ON PAGE 12

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THE CHRONICLE

Duke student’s initiative teaches children to fish

by Ben Rakestraw THE CHRONICLE

A sustainable fishing group founded by a Duke freshman has an opportunity to win $10,000 through an online competition.

Fishing for Families in Need—founded in 2008 by freshman Lucas Metropulos—teaches underprivileged children to fish responsibly and works with fishing competitions to donate surplus fish to soup kitchens. The project was announced Feb. 9 as one of nine finalists for USA Weekend Magazine’s Make a Difference Day All-Star award. The winner of an online vote will be selected for the award.

Metropulos’ organization, which is currently centered in his hometown of Boca Raton, Fla., is in the process of expanding to other locations including Durham, Martha’s Vineyard and New Orleans.

“We don’t just teach kids how to fish, we teach them to

fish responsibly,” Metropulos said.

Some of the goals of the program are to provide positive mentorship to students, make students aware of conservation efforts and teach children a new skill with potentially nutritious benefits, among other objectives, according to Fishing for Families in Need’s website.

The teaching segment of Metropulos’s initiative involves eight weeks of after-school sessions—learning the basics of rods, reels and tackleboxes—culminating in a field trip to a pier to put the children’s newfound skills to use. The course not only teaches kids a way to have fun, Metropulos said, but also life skills in catching fresh, nutritious food and being responsible stewards of sea life.

“People have sustained themselves with fishing for centuries—there’s no reason you can’t continue do it if you do it right,” Metropulos said. “I wanted the kids to see the creatures that are in the ocean and know why it is impor-

tant to protect them.”

Originally prompted by a trip to the Bahamas where he donated fish to locals, Metropulos began the organization in his hometown and taught others leadership skills so that they could establish similar charities elsewhere. At Duke, he is in the process of working with Big Brothers Big Sisters to establish the program in Durham.

Metropulos hopes that an emphasis on responsibility and sustainability will allow future generations of children the opportunity to fish. He focuses not just on the technical skills of fishing but also how to prevent overfishing and minimize harm to fish populations.

Sustainability, in a different way, has struck the people Metropulos has worked with as one of his key assets. Jennifer Ahern-Dodson, Mellon lecturing fellow and instructor in the Thompson Writing Program, taught Metropulos in her Writing 20 class “Who Cares and Why?” and worked with him as he brought Fishing for Families in Need to Durham.

“Throughout the course, what we study is what makes people want to do good,” Ahern-Dodson said. “Part of what we talk about is how to take your passion and call on others to share your passion and keep your energy going beyond your tenure.”

In order to bring his passion—responsible fishing—to Duke students, Metropulos had to organize his classmates and persuade them that their community needs their help, Ahern-Dodson said.

“The best civic engagement involves building relationships, solidarity and sustainability,” she said. “Lucas asked himself, ‘How can I best connect to the needs of Durham?’

He connected with a variety of groups in Durham, listened to them and helped what they were already doing.”

Metropulos partnered with the Ronald McDonald House of Durham. Last Fall, he and several fellow students collaborated with the organization to take a group of three families staying at the house on a fishing trip to Durham’s Lake Michie. said Jessica Maynard, volunteer coordinator at the Ronald McDonald House. Maynard said the trip went a long way toward easing the families’ burdens of having a loved one in the hospital.

“We were very enthusiastic about arranging the trip because I’m always looking for diversions for the families to get what they’re going through off their minds,” Maynard said.

Should Metropulos win the Make a Difference Day competition, he will donate half of the $10,000 grant to the Ronald McDonald House and half to the Florence Fuller Child Development Center in Boca Raton, where he first began his fishing classes. Online voting for the competition runs from Feb. 15 to 29.

dukechronicle.com

THE CHRONICLE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012 | 5

Romney may not have enough money for primaries

by Dan Eggen THE WASHINGTON POST

Mitt Romney’s deep pockets may not sustain him in the coming primaries.

The Republican presidential candidate is scrambling to shore up his coffers for a grueling run of primaries over the next month, which could go a long way toward deciding the outcome of a nomination fight that has become much tougher, and more expensive, than anticipated.

The former Massachusetts governor and private equity manager has amassed far more money than his competitors and has a deep-pocketed super PAC spending unlimited funds on his behalf. Aides and fundraisers say he will have plenty of money remaining to dominate the contest going forward.

But unexpected surges by former Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., in the early GOP nominating matchups forced Romney to deplete much, if not all, of the money he had on hand at the end of December, increasing the pressure on his campaign to raise millions more as he attempts to secure the Republican nomination.

The money chase illustrates the extent to which Romney has been hobbled by a drawn-out and negative primary contest.

His polling numbers among independents have fallen, prompting him to spend resources he would have preferred to use against President Barack Obama in a general election.

In his native state of Michigan, which earlier was considered a virtual lock for

Romney, the campaign bought $1.2 million worth of air time this week to fend off Santorum, who is matching or leading Romney in polling ahead of the Feb. 28 primary there, according to a Republican media buyer. Restore Our Future, the main pro-Romney super PAC, has bought an additional $700,000 worth of ads in the state and is almost certain to spend even more over the next two weeks.

To help pay for the onslaught, Romney has been hopscotching the country holding fundraisers, including a telethon-style gathering at a Manhattan law firm Wednesday in which top bundlers hit the phones to raise money. Romney has also held fundraisers over the past week in Arizona, California and Washington, where he brought in about $1.5 million from a “policy roundtable” with industry lobbyists, corporate executives and other business leaders.

Romney aides and supporters acknowledge the need to raise more money for primaries in Michigan and Arizona, as well as 10 pivotal contests March 6, known as “Super Tuesday.” But supporters say that Romney’s cash flow is fine and that he is locking up more donations from Republicans who had been sitting out the primary race until now.

“We have always said that we're built for the long haul,” campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said. “Gov. Romney will win the nomination because we have the resources, the organization and, most importantly, the message that resonates with SEE ROMNEY ON PAGE 6

Life and times in K-ville.

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Students gather in Krzyzewskiville prior to the Duke-Virginia Tech women’s basketball game.

6 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012

THE CHRONICLE

OFFICE from page 1

JISOO YOON/THE CHRONICLE

Durham Mayor Bill Bell speaks Wednesday at President Barack Obama’s new campaign office in Durham.

McCain, R-Ariz. This, along with Durham’s proximity to college campuses helped make the city a prime choice for the campaign’s newest location.

For younger voters, Organizing for America launched Greater Together to engage college students nationwide.

Locally, there are Students for Obama chapters at Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“We were able to capture the enthusiasm of young and old voters in a historic way in 2008,” said Cameron French, press secretary for Organizing for America North Carolina. “It is tremendous to see people nine months away from the election so enthusiastic. Offices in 2008 were opening much later, and here we are ready to build tremendous momentum already.”

Although Obama narrowly won the state in 2008, volunteers and local leaders were highly optimistic about their chances in 2012. Several supporters said they believed North Carolina has been a state that has embraced a progressive vision.

The ceremony gave volunteers and Obama supporters a chance to meet and voice their goals for the 2012 election. Volunteers believe strongly that the office will be vital tool for the community to help the president be re-elected.

One of their biggest goals is to engage young residents of Durham, particularly college students.

The Durham office, located in the Heritage Square Shopping Plaza, will be open every day of the week and French expects a consistent and high turnout. For the next few months volunteers will focus on voter registration, targeting young adults and individuals unable to vote in 2008.

From there, the office will focus on voter education and running phone banks in order to help mobilize voters, French said.

Supporters at the event noted the stimulus, health care reform, Wall Street reform and the end of the Iraq War as Obama’s major accomplishments.

“He has achieved what he said he would achieve,” said Jason Green, field director for Obama’s Durham campaign.

“We now know that the financial crisis was deeper than originally thought, so the improvements have been significant.”

State Rep. Bill Faison, D-Caswell, Orange and candidate for state governor, noted that he will support Obama as part of his gubernatorial campaign.

“I will do my part,” Faison said. “The next nine months will be about who can lay a foundation for a fairer economy and establish middle class security. It will be very fascinating to be a part of the election in North Carolina, and I am optimistic about our chances.”

ROMNEY from page 5 voters across the country.”

Romney can dip into a personal fortune estimated at up to $250 million, if necessary, and his supporters note that none of his opponents has the resources of his campaign.

Santorum, for example, is spending just $42,000 on ads in Michigan this week.

“Every time there's a new shiny object out there that's seen as a potential threat to Mitt, the fundraising picks up,” said David Beightol, a Romney fundraiser and lobbyist at Dutko Grayling in Washington. “The event we did last week was one of our best ever. The energy level, the number of people—everything is going very well.”

Romney, who raised $57 million last year, had about $19 million on hand at the end of December. But he has since spent an estimated $12 million on advertising during the early contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida, and millions more for the travel and other overhead costs of an expanding presidential campaign.

In Florida, his campaign began buying ads a month ahead of the Jan. 31 primary, which he won handily, and eventually doled out more than $6 million.

But the campaign has been more frugal lately, spending almost nothing on broadcast ads last week, according to data from Kantar Media/CMAG, which tracks ad spending.

Overhead expenses also are growing rapidly as the campaign opens offices and hires staff members in numerous states.

Stuart Roy, a spokesman for the Red, White and Blue Fund, a super PAC supporting Santorum, said he was surprised at how little the Romney campaign has devoted to ads over the past couple weeks given his losses and decline in the polls.

“It’s not that they don't have money in the bank,” Roy said. “But it probably signals that the money coming in has slowed down, and they want to have the cash to do what they need to do on Super Tuesday.”

Sports

IN THE BLUE ZONE

The Chronicle

THURSDAY February 16, 2012

Danny Nolan takes a closer look at the comparison between Miles Plumlee’s breakout performance Saturday and Brian Zoubek’s emergence in 2010.

www.dukechroniclesports.com

Rivers’ game-winner inspires more Craziness Just over a week ago, Austin Rivers dribbled around North Carolina’s pale blue Outer Banks (or the logo facsimile of it, at least), around a powerful screen administered by Mason Plumlee, around the court to the right-side of the arc, where he was greeted by his defender, the 7-foot-tall Tyler Zeller.

The freshman squared up with 3.2 seconds left. He dribbled once, twice, three, four times, then stepped back with a fadeaway three while teammate Seth Curry screamed, “Shoot it!” (or something along those lines).

Andy Money.

It was a shot so ballsy and improbable that I’m still processing it a week later. Yes, I am still am, even though I’m responsible for about 78 of its 1,483,806 views on YouTube.

The shot was a bit more, though, than one of the rivalry’s greatest moments, Rivers’ coming-out party and an excuse for an especially bleary night at the esteemed Shooters II saloon. It was the spark Duke needed in what has been a lackluster year.

Moore

staffreports Duncan medals in southern California Blue Devil Lindy Duncan held off a trio of opponents to win the Northrop Grumman Challenge at the Palos Verdes Golf Club, which began Monday.

Duncan shot a 1-under-par 70 Thursday, giving her a three-round total of 210, four strokes in front of her nearest challenger, Southern California’s Sophia Popov. No. 1 UCLA won the overall competition, shooting an 18-over-par 870, led by third- and fourth-place finishers Erynne Lee and Tiffany Lua, respectively.

No. 13 Duke finished fifth, 27 strokes back of the Bruins.

Zafirovski invited to Macedonian national team tryouts Junior men’s basketball player Todd Zafirovski has been extended an invitation to try out for the Macedonian national basketball team.

The Macedonian International News Agency (MINA) reported Thursday that Zafirovski had already been named to the team, but Duke sports information denied that the 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward has already secured a roster spot.

“Todd has shown interest to play for Macedonia, so in the upcoming period we’ll be starting the procedure for obtaining Macedonian citizenship,” Daniel Dimevski, the head of the Macedonian Basketball Federation, told MINA. Zafirovski hails from Lake Forest, Ill., but is the son of Macedonian businessman Mike Zafirovski. He has played a total of nine minutes this season over four games, recording two points, two rebounds and one block, and he has not seen court action since Jan. 19 against Wake Forest.

Macedonia has risen to 33rd in FIBA’s world rankings after an upset-filled run to the semifinals of EuroBasket 2011.

I don’t mean Duke, the team. The Blue Devils did not really need a spark. They have proven scorers, rebounders, and, as evidenced by solid play throughout the North Carolina game, did not win by sheer luck last Wednesday.

To say the shot itself will propel Duke to glory is silly. As ESPN analyst Jay Bilas told me in a phone interview yesterday, “It certainly had to help their psyche after beating a team on their home floor. But I think it’s tough to suggest that one shot going in is the hallmark of great consistency throughout the whole season.”

When I say the spark Duke needed, I’m referring to a student fanbase that had been lackluster so far this season.

Attendance was low at the start of the season, an open secret on campus first semester and an open fact after The Chronicle’s article. The Wake Forest game on Jan. 19 saw a wine-and-cheese-level of noise. Additionally, a quick count of the K-Ville tents prior to the Duke-North Carolina game revealed a number far below the Blue Tent capacity of 60.

Now, just to be clear here: I think the reaction to attendance dropping was about as overblown as a Tea Partier talking about the 2012 Obama budget. “Pathetic beyond words,” said a typical post on the Devil’s Den message board. “There is no sports experience on the planet like Cameron and any

student who fails to appreciate that does not deserve to go to Duke,” wrote “genius5432,” a user commenting on The Chronicle’s website. The sentiment that anyone who didn’t go to games was unworthy of being a “real Dukie” pervaded many aspects of the discussion.

This was ridiculous. Going to a game is a voluntary decision and choosing not to go does not make a person any less of a “real Dukie.”

“I’ve never understood why people think it’s a mandatory thing. You’d never look down on people who didn’t go to the school play or the football games,” Bilas said. “Everything is also available at home and on HD. You can watch it any way you want. And when we make a big deal of the big games, sometimes people won’t go to the smaller games.”

But I did suspect that there were fans who were feeling some bit of ennui, and when your friends aren’t going to the game, it’s difficult to muster the enthusiasm to wrangle up a crew. This was a shame, because if you want to go to a game, you shouldn’t have anything holding you back.

The shot has changed that. The basketball team is SEE MOORE ON PAGE 8

M. BASKETBALL from page 1 basketball history back to ACC relevance.

Despite losing highly touted point guard Ryan Harrow, who transferred to Kentucky in the offseason, and being picked to finish eighth in the conference preseason poll, N.C. State (18-7, 7-3 in the ACC) is currently fourth in the ACC standings and a road win over No. 4 Duke (20-4, 7-2) could help propel them to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006.

“We have a long way to go here,” Gottfried said. “When I took the job back in April, I was told repeatedly, quite frankly, how mediocre we’ve been, so that was drilled into me.”

Even if the Wolfpack fail to make the 68team field in 2012, an injection of talent is on the way. Gottfried and his staff have assembled one of the best 2012 recruiting classes in the country, which includes three McDon-

ald’s All-Americans—TJ Warren, Tyler Lewis and former Duke target Rodney Purvis—all of whom are North Carolina natives.

As N.C. State hopes to consistently compete with North Carolina and Duke again for ACC supremacy, the timing of their star-studded 2012 recruiting class could not be better.

In a down year of recruiting on Tobacco Road, the Blue Devils and Tar Heels together have only two recruits playing in the McDonald’s All American game, whereas in 2010 and 2011 they had four and five, respectively.

“The fact that [Lewis, Purvis and Warren] came tells me they want to be a part of something really unique and that’s trying to build a basketball program back up,” Gottfried said.

The Wolfpack’s 2012 recruiting class is not complete yet either. Tonight’s on-court matchup with the Blue Devils coincides

SHAYAN ASADI/THE CHRONICLE

Recruiting post players is a priority for Duke, since Miles and Mason Plumlee could both depart at season’s end.

with a heated recruiting battle between the two schools for Amile Jefferson, a 6-foot9, 200-pound combo forward, who is the third ranked power forward in his class according to Scout.com. Even though Kentucky, Villanova and Ohio State are also in the mix, recruiting experts consider Duke and North Carolina State to be the frontrunners to land the Philadelphia product.

After hosting Jefferson in 2010 for Countdown to Craziness, Duke’s interest faded as they began to heavily pursue Mitch McGary, who committed to Michigan last fall, and Tony Parker, who is no longer expected to come to Durham. Given the graduation of Miles Plumlee and potential loss of Mason Plumlee after this season, Duke is in desperate need of adding length and size to its frontcourt next season, so head coach Mike Krzyzewski has aggressively re-entered Jefferson’s recruitment. “[Duke] is a just great school academically and athletically,” Jefferson said. “It’s everything that someone could want in a school. [Duke] brings the best of both worlds to one campus and that’s something that not only I admire, but pretty much everyone admires.”

North Carolina State has been recruiting the wiry forward equally as hard for even longer than Duke. Playing alongside three McDonald’s All-Americans and being part of a class that has the potential to restore the program to prime form is also an enticing sales pitch. “[Lewis, Purvis and Warren] are great guys,” Jefferson said. “I definitely know them personally a little bit. I got to play with two of them over the summer and they are really good players, but I still have to do what I feel is right for me. Both Duke and N.C. State are great programs.”

Regardless of the outcome on the court tonight or in Jefferson’s recruitment, the future in Raleigh is definitely bright.

“We are going to compete hard on the floor. We are going to compete hard in recruiting. We are going to compete and hopefully we can keep improving,” Gottfried said.

8 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012

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W. BASKETBALL from page 1 To begin the second half, Virginia Tech looked poised to take Duke to the wire, cutting the Blue Devils’ lead to five early on.

Duke quickly responded however, as sophomores Chelsea Gray and Tricia Liston allowed the Blue Devils to pull away. The Hokies’ frequent doubling of Williams in the post created driving lanes for Gray and wide-open three point looks for Liston, whose back-toback three pointers midway through the second half put Duke ahead by double digits. Gray and Liston finished with 15 and 17 points, respectively, to lead the Blue Devils.

Defensively, the Blue Devils’ zone defense never allowed the Hokies to get in a rhythm offensively, and they successfully neutralized Wilson in the second half, holding the 5-foot-8 guard to just four points on 2-for-12 shooting. With a thin bench, Duke smartly avoided foul trouble, only allowing the Hokies to shoot four

MOORE from page 7 free throws on the night, whereas the Blue Devils’ assertive mentality on offense led to 34 trips to the foul line.

“The second half was more of a focused effort,” McCallie said. “I love the fact that we were aggressive and we got to line a lot, that’s important. Chelsea’s leadership was terrific, along with Trisha, playing off each other.”

Duke’s balanced scoring attack was another promising sign as McCallie’s shorthanded squad gets set to travel to Maryland this weekend. Along with Peters, Gray and Liston, Williams finished in double figures. She overcame frequent double teams and constant contact to finish with 12 points and 8 rebounds.

“They’re getting very seasoned and experienced. I would call them a very seasoned bunch, and the adversity we’re facing is overwhelming,” McCallie said.

again dominating conversations around the school. Blue tenting filled up after the game, and there are now six tents on the waiting list, according to co-Head Line Monitor Ellie Garrett.

“People are excited about Duke basketball,” she said. “The Carolina win was huge. There has been a buzz around campus all week.”

Students camped out the night be-

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Committing one of its 35 fouls Wednesday, Virginia Tech grabs Richa Jackson, who later left the game injured.

fore the Maryland game Saturday, despite the fact that the Terrapins were 14-9 and haven’t beaten anyone of merit this year. According to Garrett, over 1,000 students were lined up by midday.

By game time, Section 17 was over capacity by 250 students.

Saturday wasn’t an anomaly, either.

Garrett expects a large crowd at the game tonight, and she said a large number of groups have already signed up.

The shot heard ‘round the campus, indeed.

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Eliminate residential SLGs The professed aims of the of this uncertainty stems from new house model—improved the administration’s attempt residential communities and to mold the house model greater social equity—repre- around extant social and livsent both laudable and achiev- ing structures, namely Selecable goals. If the administration tive Living Groups—which implements the include any reshouse model in idential group, editorial its current form, including greek though, it will neither foster an organizations, that determines ideal residential community membership through a comnor achieve meaningful social petitive selection process. equity among undergraduates.

SLGs—affiliated houses in Student confusion about house model parlance—will the house model betrays its undermine the University’s flaws. Although a recent Duke commitment to equity if alStudent Government survey lowed to exist within the new suggests that students’ under- house model. The existence standing of the new house of SLGs will inevitably produce model has improved, about a situation in which students half of the students who re- either rejected by or unable sponded indicated that they to make the financial commitlack a clear understanding of ment to SLGs will find themhow the changes will affect selves relegated to an unaffiliatthem. In our estimation, much ed house. These houses—like

“

I’m really glad that the editorial “Seeing through the haze,” wasn’t about the appointment of Dean Hays. I was really worried about an abuse of puns there for a minute...

—“Benjamin Wolf” commenting on the story “Hays named new Divinity School dean.”

See more at www.dukechronicle.com.

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Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns.

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independents in the current model—will come to lack the perceived social status and capital of affiliated houses, and students may grow to regard unaffiliated houses as secondtier residential communities.

Even for students who forgo rush and opt for unaffiliated housing from the beginning, the stigma that will attach itself to unaffiliated houses threatens to reduce their social capital and make the development of cohesive and socially-enriching communities difficult.

Whether or not the house model represents a positive change to campus life is up for debate, but if the administration wants the model to succeed on its own terms, it will have to eliminate the residential component of SLGs. In the same way that sorori-

ties have traditionally offered a social but not residential community, fraternities and other selective groups will have to become purely social organizations. Doing so will be the only way to ensure that unaffiliated houses do not become second-class members of the campus community.

Currently, SLGs provide an enjoyable and rewarding experience for their members.

Indeed, the goal of the house model is, in some sense, to offer a similar communal living experience for non-affiliated students. But affiliated houses will create social stratification, and if students enter unaffiliated houses only because their other options have been exhausted, it seems unlikely that students in those houses will ever be able to achieve the kind

of cohesive living experience currently enjoyed by SLGs. Whether we like it or not, the house model is coming, and, though far from perfect, we want it to succeed. In order for the house model to represent a positive social force on campus, the administration must make selective groups non-residential. We acknowledge the obstacles, both logistical and social, to eliminating the residential element of SLGs, and realize that, even if the house model does so, the existence of selective social groups will allow social inequity to persist. But, despite these difficulties, we feel that the house model cannot achieve its goals if it institutionalizes inequity, and, therefore, we advocate for the elimination of the residential component of SLGs.

My sorostiboots are brown, btw.

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Q

: How is sorority rush NOT like “Fight they enjoy may be surprised by what they learn afClub”? ter bid day.

A: The first rule of sorority rush is that The time limit, the conversational limitations there is no sorority rush. You don’t and the strict rules about appeartalk about it, either, but that’s the ances all serve to create a kind of second rule. The first is that there uniform—ah, we’re getting back to is no rush. Call it “recruitment” or it now—that presents some version pay a fine. Why? I’m not sure. I supof the same image for each sorority. pose it’s because tradition associates Sororities that may not conform well negativity with the word “rush,” but to this image are still obligated to (newsflash!) changing the name don its semblance, not only because doesn’t change the negativity. they are being judged superficially, mia lehrer “Negativity? But don’t all sobut because the rules mandate it. but actually rorities just looooooooove recruitGirls who come away with the imment?” age of a sorority may set on one in We’ll get to that in a second. First, let’s play a particular, even though another suits them. Relygame. Are you in a public place? If so, there’s a de- ing on “reputation” is an even worse idea; in many cent chance—39 percent, according to the official cases, intense competition drives girls in competbrochure—that you are/can see a girl who matches ing groups to generate rumors that hobble their the following description: she has hair that at least friends’ sorority. The image may be a glossing-over, reaches her shoulders, she is wearing a knit top, but the reputation is often a blatant falsehood. dark skinny jeans/black leggings, a cardigan and a Is recruitment worth it? Yes. My sorority is my pair of shiny-ish, knee-high, flat-heeled, round-toed Duke family and where I have my best friends. But brown or black leather boots. She wears a perfor- I was lucky enough to know many actives outside mance fleece and carries a tote bag. of recruitment before I went through it. It was Whether we like to admit it or not, the Panhel- their acquaintance, not their image or their “repulenic woman has an unofficial uniform. I’m not tation,” that made my decision. going to bring Effortless Perfection into this, but It’s time for a change. Recruitment is a nationwhat we wear is meant to project a certain image of ally standardized process, but didn’t we learn in eleat-ease elegance, without standing out too much. mentary school that popularity doesn’t make right?

Why the projection? Why the uniform? Back to By keeping emphasis on the superficial, we encourrushcruitment. age the superficialization of Duke women. If even A combination of job interview and speed dat- your future sisters have no choice but to judge you ing, rushcruitment’s design gives only the most on the scantest of characteristics, won’t those seem superficial impressions about a woman to a soror- more important? Why should fraternities and SLGs ity, and about a sorority to a woman. If all runs be able to interact with their rushees as human besmoothly, the rushcruitee has eight to 10 minutes ings and as if they are already members, while soto convey her full personality to a member of a rorities must put on an elaborate show? sorority. The sorority has an hour-ish per “party” This is not to say recruitment is without its sucto convey the full personality of all the girls—an cesses; every year, the process of recruitment proo-chem lecture’s worth—in its group. Imagine duces many happy new sisters. I absolutely love learning everything about each person in your our new members, and am so excited to befriend orgo lecture—not just all the ones who show them. But it also produces girls who are lost, conup, but all the ones registered—in an hour. Now fused and dispirited by a process that has led them imagine that the “four Bs:” Booze, Boys, Bank and to fixate on a “perfect” group, and then either be Buildings are off-limits. passed over by that group, or join it and find out Not being able to talk about the things that it’s not what they thought at all. make up a lot of Duke conversations does have Duke is a school full of intelligent, driven some merit; such a rule would not be out of place women—many of whom seek a sisterhood, and in a space like the late Occupy Duke, which en- rightfully so. A sorority is an experience that can couraged intellectual conversation. But in the so- change lives for the better, and every girl who rority you join, those four Bs are going to get a lot wants it deserves the chance to be met for who she of play, and many sororities have no choice but is, not who some rule book written decades ago to misrepresent themselves or pay a fine. Conse- tells her to act like. quently, both the freshwomen who want a sorority that aligns with their values and the actives who Mia Lehrer is a Trinity senior. Her column runs evwant a new member that enjoys the same things ery other Thursday.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012 | 11

commentaries

Respecting religious student groups

People’s guide to Bonnaroo

ast semester, the Duke Student Government have a different view on democracy. This could maybe Senate discussed an amendment to the Student start to be a convincing argument except for the fact Organization Finance Committee (SOFC) by- that the only religious groups found not acting in aclaw that proposed exempting religious cordance with current bylaws were asorganizations from holding demosociated with Christian traditions. Not cratic elections to decide their executo mention it also completely generaltive leadership. The amendment was izes and otherizes all non-Christian retabled at that time, but has recently ligions. OK, so it’s offensive to certain been brought back to the attention Christian groups that hold a particular of the Senate. The proposed amendview on how religious hierarchies are ment should be opposed not only supposed to be structured. The probbecause the given justifications don’t lem with that argument is that SOFC ahmad jitan make sense, but also because it reinbylaws won’t affect how someone’s forces dangerous ideas about the role indecent family man church is structured, only a student of religion in civil society, namely that group; so no one’s religion is being religious groups are exempt from standards that we discriminated against. uphold for our general society.

Even if one were to still construe this as religious First off, framing this as a debate on the role of discrimination, it doesn’t matter. Student groups are democratic processes within religious groups is a red all held to a certain standard, whether that is nonherring. This amendment was proposed as a reac- discrimination or standards of accountability. For extion to more stringent requirements imposed by the ample, just as I would be uncomfortable on a campus SOFC on student organizations following the Duke where a group, citing religious values, could decide College Republicans (DCR) scandal last year. These to expel someone based on their sexual orientation, requirements, such as requiring every organization I would not want a campus where certain groups are to have a president and a treasurer and specifying held to different standards of accountability based election procedures in their constitution, were not on their affiliation with a religion. out of some high-minded dedication to democratic Another argument put forth is that, de facto, reideals but for increased accountability for student ligious groups are already structured differently, esgroups that receive funding from SOFC. For exam- pecially in regards to the role of their advisers. This ple, though it has been argued that current bylaws argument is barely valid since all groups were possomehow impose democracy on otherwise unwill- sibly structured differently before the DCR scandal, ing religious groups, a student group committed and it’s this fact that necessitated the bylaws in the to horizontal participatory democracy could much first place. The observation that advisers often play a more reasonably oppose current bylaws because the larger role in religious groups doesn’t help the case required hierarchy is in fact anti-democratic. What either. If we want to foster healthy student groups, the bylaws do set out to do is standardize the struc- encouraging advisers to continue to play larger ture of student groups in a way that makes it easier to roles—to the point of possibly allowing them to aphold student leaders and entire groups accountable point officers instead of having them elected by their for their behaviors. peers—diminishes the role of students in organizing The real issue at stake here isn’t so much demo- themselves. cratic elections as it is special treatment of religious One of the most rewarding aspects of religious life groups. By not proposing changes applicable to all groups on campus—having served on the executive student groups, the amendment would in effect hold board of one during my time here—is the ability for religious groups to a different standard of account- students to independently explore what faith tradiability. Some reasons have been put forth as to why tions and spirituality mean for themselves. There’s religious groups deserve exceptional treatment, but nothing wrong if advisers happen to play a larger none are convincing. role in certain groups, as long as their role stays as Simply saying that religious groups are special is one of an adviser. not significant. Every recognized or chartered group This issue is more significant than how hard it is is checked for redundancy before being approved, so for students to pay for their pizza when they’re disin a way every group is special. The question is what’s cussing scripture. It reflects our attitudes on the role special about religious groups that afford them spe- of religion and religiously-affiliated groups in civil cial treatment with regards to election procedures? society and whether we hold them to the same stanOne could try to make an argument based on reli- dards as everyone else. gious tolerance... that current bylaws are offensive to some religious sensibilities. It has been argued that Ahmad Jitan is a Trinity junior. His column runs every they are insensitive to “Eastern” religions that may other Thursday. Follow Ahmad on Twitter @AhmadJitan

he 2012 Bonnaroo Music Festival line up was released Tuesday. I figured it’d be as good a time as ever to give some advice to those who plan to go, as I’ve been lucky enough to volunteer there for the last three years. Bonnaroo is a four-day music festival that takes place annually from June 7 to June 10 under the blistering sun that shines on Manchester, Tenn.

Now there are plenty of pretty comprehensive guides out there on the interwebz of what to pack travis smith and what to expect, and those it’s all in the game guides should definitely be used to make sure you don’t just show up with a cooler of melting ice and a jar of peanut butter. As a seasoned vet, however, I’m going to focus on the less obvious, and the more important aspects of something that transcends music, people and words.

If you leave Bonnaroo thinking you simply had a good time and saw some great performances, you’ll have missed the point. If after the music is over and the crowds disperse you realize you feel a sense of boredom with your daily grind, you’ll have started to get it. But if you leave Bonnaroo knowing that, for that four-day period, you weren’t living in reality, you’ll have figured it out. Bonnaroo is a rarity—a paradox. It returns year after year but never repeats itself. Leave your inhibitions back home, because for four days in Manchester, Tenn., no one cares.

Bonnaroo is usually over 95 degrees by noon, and the only free shower is a gigantic phallic symbol spraying water 20 feet into the air. The port-o-potties are cleaned on a rotating schedule, so at least one section of the festival smells like the dickens at all times. Dirt, sweat and sunscreen will combine to produce a new layer on top of your skin. This means the qualities of a good Bonnaroo companion go beyond loving music and the outdoors, to just generally being down for anything.

All creature comforts evaporate after your first experience in a 120-degree port-a-potty at high noon. After the social norms dictating hygiene, personal space and privacy are no longer enforced, you feel free. And gross. Mostly gross.

The festival is its own city—popping up over night, charging its own prices and cultivating its own culture. You shouldn’t come in expecting anything close to home. What was once an illegal transaction behind closed doors now translates into a sign saying simply “Lucy, Molly and Bud” held by an opportunistic drug dealer passing by tens of thousands of potential customers a day. Ice is a luxury, coming in at $15 a bag, while food can be purchased by flashing breasts or, in my case, working behind the counter while the manager takes a bathroom break. Trying to report such a behavior would find you talking to a Bonnaroo staff member who is trying to light his joint, a half-amused expression on his face as he simply laughs and walks away.

The “Bonnaroo experience” is dynamic and different for everyone. For many, it’s the luxury of having the stress of cramming for exams or avoiding an inebriated guy/girl at Shooters replaced by the “stress” of trying to see as much music as you can, or getting randomly selected to be someone’s dance partner while they ride on drug-induced waves of dopamine and serotonin. Some at the festival are there to take pictures and report back to their friends about all the “crazy hippies with hula hoops.” Some are there to eat through their bag of mushrooms by the second day so they can start on the MDMA by the time Girl Talk gets on stage. And some are there just to be there and see where the tide takes them. You can be whomever you want to be at Bonnaroo, it’s your choice. When the sketchy tequila bottle is being passed around, you can say “No, that could have god-knows-what in it!” or you can say “Yes, that could have godknows-what in it!” Just know that it’s four days out of the year where your everyday life has melted down to be reshaped by the people, music and world you now are a part of, so don’t leave with any regrets.

The anonymity induced by just being one of close to 100,000 festival-goers strips name and reputation. Conversely, Duke and its inhabitants are obsessed with image and rank. The top tier would no longer find itself at the top rung of the ladder, or find any ladder at all, if it braved the unfiltered rawness of Bonnaroo. If you do go there in June, don’t forget what you saw, and don’t forget that those who you saw are just like you and me.

They used ’Roo to let loose, freedom letting them become their id. Don’t trick yourself into thinking ’Roo is the exception, a time to look back on and eventually forget.

L

T

Travis Smith is a Trinity junior. His column runs every other Thursday.

12 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012

EVANS from page 1 some things to be done to make sure the needs of graduates are met the same way we approach the needs of undergraduates.”

Since arriving at Duke in 2010, Evans has worked as the graduate student representative for the Duke Alumni Association, the Council for the Arts, the Parking and Transportation Board and the Library Graduate Student Council. Evans is also a member of the Duke Cycling Club.

Evans said his humanities background gives him the skills to approach problems from a broad perspective and work within other people’s expectations—an attribute he said differentiates him from his opponents.

He works with Daniel Griffin, a doctoral candidate in classical studies, on the alumni association board. Griffin said Evans’ approachability compels others to take his ideas seriously. “[Evans] is a very smart guy,” he said. “He’s very good

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at listening to people, and he’s very good at being able to convey multiple viewpoints and come out with either a compromise or a best solution to a problem.”

Annual Fund Coordinator Kurt Cumiskey said Evans’ commitment to the University library system shows his understanding of Duke’s needs on a broader scale.

“People who meet [Evans] are immediately drawn to him,” he said. “He has such a great natural way about him.”

Evans is the only candidate for graduate Young Trustee to be enrolled in a two-year program. Although the other candidates have been on campus longer, Evans said this is not an obstacle. His experiences as a student in a two-year program will help him ensure that Duke’s graduate students in one and two-year programs feel integrated into the Duke community with their social and academic needs fully addressed.

“I find it really amazing how quickly [Evans] was able to become an integral part of the community,” Griffin said. “He just recently joined us but managed to become someone that is well-respected at both the graduate school level and the alumni level.”

DSG from page 3 The board would discuss how to best spend the surplus money, Schork said. It would also process requests from student groups and organizations with due diligence, he added.

“We have extra money every year in surplus and put that money to good use, but we have not been spending it enough,” he said.

The Senate will vote on the bylaw next week.

In other business: DSG also had a first reading of proposed changes to the selective living group bylaw, allowing SLGs—including fraternities and sororities—to use gender as membership criteria in line with their national bylaws. The bylaw currently states that no DSG-recognized group can discriminate based on gender, but this change will solve the discrepancy.

The Senate also recognized the student group Students for a Democratic Society in a 31-12 vote after debate over the organization’s name.

“Yes, the word democracy is continually being defined, but it’s a misleading name because [the group] says that a democratic society is one against American imperialism,” said sophomore Patrick Oathout, senator for athletics, services and the environment.

In the wake of several Duke housekeepers claiming mistreatment by their supervisor in Edens Quadrangle, members of Duke Student Action with Workers—sophomore Haley Millner, senior Kinnari Bhojani and junior Tong Xiang—presented the issue at the meeting.

The Senate approved a resolution urging institutional equity for Duke faculty and staff to support DSAW. Freshman Derek Rhodes, senator for Durham and regional affairs, updated the Senate on the Durham Discount Program, requesting $507 to cover the remaining costs of advertising. The program’s marketing will include bus and print advertisements, flyers and business cards to raise student awareness about local restaurants that give Duke students discounts.

DSG approved $2,067.50 for the Jamaican prime minister’s visit to Duke, hosted by the Students of the Caribbean Association. The Senate also approved a $2,185 budget for the Freeman Center for Jewish Life Bar Mitzvah hosted by the Jewish Student Union to celebrate the building’s 13th anniversary and a $2,500 budget for the Mp3 Experiment event sponsored by Engineering Student Government.

GREEN DEVIL from page 3 Smackdown competition will have the same mission regarding sustainability. The purpose is to not only motivate people to be environmentally aware but also create sustainable habits for the future.

“One thing we noticed through the faculty fitness competition was that people developed healthy habits,” Grantham said. “We hope similar behaviors will appear through this sustainability competition.”

Senior Julia Weidner noted that sustainable behavior can be difficult due to the limitations of living on a college campus, though added that the University is making a lot of environmental decisions for students.

A participant in the upcoming competition, Weidner lives in the Duke Smart Home and sees the Smackdown competition as a great way to educate students about sustainability and the importance of being environmentally conscious. “ It’ll be good since they are not only raising awareness but also incentivizing the competition through prizes,” Weidner said. “ It’s a win-win for everybody.”

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