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 23, 2012
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 104
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
CANCER CENTER
Cancer Center opens this week Duke celebrates Patients, families express appreciation for groundbreaking center
40 years of coed campus, Title IX by Kristie Kim THE CHRONICLE
FAITH ROBERTSON/THE CHRONICLE
The Duke Cancer Center hosted open houses Tuesday and Wednesday to celebrate its grand opening. by Julian Spector THE CHRONICLE
The Duke Cancer Center opened its doors this week to cancer patients, medical professionals and the Duke community, offering the first glimpses of the long-awaited multidisciplinary facility. Open houses Tuesday and Wednesday presented the building to the public. They began with opening remarks from medical leaders, tours of the facility and refreshments served in the
new cafe. These events preceded the ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon. With the Cancer Center opening for medical service Feb. 27, the mood of many patients was one of appreciation for the improvements in patient services achieved by the new Center. “It’s a night and day difference,” said Randy Askew, Cancer Center volunteer and former cancer patient. “The standard [of cancer facilities] now is good— it’s not horrible—but compared
to [the new Center] it puts it 20 years behind.” Askew, who works in the Duke University Store during the day, has spent regular nights pushing a hospitality cart of snacks and sweets through the cancer ward for the last seven years, earning him the nickname Randy the Candyman. Askew visited the Morris Cancer Clinic for a different reason last summer, however, when he was diagnosed with SEE CANCER CENTER ON PAGE 6
This weekend’s biennial Women’s Weekend marks the 40th anniversary of the historic merger of the Woman’s College and Trinity College, as well as the establishment of women’s varsity athletics. The weekend festivities, titled “Winning Women: Advocates, Educators and Athletes,” kicks off with a welcome reception hosted by Cynthia Brodhead Thursday, wrapping up with a Chapel service Sunday. Events include networking sessions, a women’s gala and a luncheon on the lasting legacy of Title IX for women’s education and athletics, featuring Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Trinity ’86 and three-time Olympic gold medalist, and Eleanor Smeal, Woman’s College ’61. Former President Nan Keohane—Duke’s only female president—and current President Richard Brodhead will also host a panel discussion Saturday. “[The reunion] is a celebration of Duke’s great women athletes and the accomplishments of the female scholars during the transitional period of the merger
and years since then,” said Donna Lisker, director of the Women’s Center and associate vice provost of undergraduate education. “It will be a wonderful opportunity for current students and athletes to learn more about the pioneers who changed women’s history here at Duke.” The 1972 merger was a response to the national trend of gender integration in higher education, said Trustee Ann Pelham, Trinity ’74 and former Chronicle editor. The merger led to a University where women could take classes alongside men, while still able to live in the all-female East Campus. Pelham, who plans to attend Women’s Weekend, said that she viewed the upcoming event as a much needed commemoration of women athletes. Alumnae will be able to gather in honor of the accomplishments of women students and athletes at Duke—who, by the time of the merger, had already been fully integrated in the academic arena. Program participants will be able to meet with former women SEE WOMEN ON PAGE 5
YOUNG TRUSTEE
Potti fired after Burnett named graduate YT 60 Minutes piece by Lauren Carroll THE CHRONICLE
by Taylor Doherty THE CHRONICLE
Coastal Cancer Center announced Wednesday that it has cut ties with the former Duke oncologist following the airing of a 60 Minutes investigation regarding his work. Potti began working at the South Carolinabased practice a Anil Potti few months after resigning from Duke in November 2010. Dr. Lawrence Holt, president of Coastal Cancer Center, declined to answer The Chronicle’s questions
regarding the decision to fire Potti. He referred all comment to a public relations firm the organization hired. “[The 60 Minutes story] prompted many concerned people to contact Coastal Cancer Center with comments and questions,” Holt said in a statement released by LHWH Advertising and Public Relations. “It has become obvious that this issue is going to take precious focus away from patient care.” The 60 Minutes segment, called “Deception at Duke, ”drew national attention to a scandal that has played out publicly for SEE POTTI ON PAGE 12
The Graduate and Professional Student Council elected Malik Burnett, a fourth-year student in a joint medical doctorate and MBA program at the School of Medicine and the Fuqua School of Business, to the position of graduate Young Trustee at its meeting Monday. In the race to represent the graduate and professional student body on the Board of Trustees, Burnett beat two other candidates—Will Evans, a second-year Slavic and Eurasian studies masters candidate, and Felicia Hawthorne, GPSC president and a fifth-year genetics and genomics doctoral candidate. The candidates were voted on by members of the GPSC General Assembly in a secret ballot with no complica-
tions, said GPSC Executive Vice President Bill Hunt, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in English. Burnett, who graduated from Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, is currently in his ninth year at Duke. After graduation this Spring, he will begin his first year in general surgery. “I’m completely honored that the Graduate and Professional Student Council decided to pick me,” Burnett said. “Both of the other candidates were extremely qualified.... I’m very fortunate to be in the position.” The initial vote did not yield a simple majority, so Burnett was chosen in a subsequent run-off vote, Hunt said. He was unable to provide a numerical breakdown of
SEE BURNETT ON PAGE 5
ONTHERECORD
DSG discusses Duke Kunshan University, dining fee Page 3
JAMES LEE/THE CHRONICLE
Malik Burnett was elected graduate Young Trustee Monday.
The numbers behind Title IX,
“Like envy, pride and lust, gossip has always been an integral part of our lives.” —Roshni Jain on gossip. See column page 10
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