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, APRIL 25, 2012
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH YEAR, ISSUE 143
WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM
Obama reaches out to NC youth voters Holding
out for the right fit
President urges low student loan interest rates in speech by Caroline Fairchild and Jack Mercola THE CHRONICLE
President Barack Obama urged Congress to keep college affordable for the seven million students currently burdened by student loans in an address Tuesday at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Obama told a crowd of more than 8,000 students, professors and Chapel Hill residents that student loan interest rates will double overnight July 1 if Congress does not take action. Shortly after assuming office, the Obama administration reduced rates for student loan programs to 3.4 percent from 6.8 percent. Without an extension, the rate will revert back to 2008 levels. The White House is currently in negotiations with Congress to find funding for the $5.9 billion measure, but the president has taken the discussion public with the hopes of garnering youth support. “We have to make college more affordable for our young people—that’s the bottom line,” Obama said. “Since most of you were born, tuition and fees at America’s colleges have more than doubled. And that forces students like you to take out a lot more loans.” For each year that Congress does not act, the president said the average student with loans will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt. Student loan debt is not only stifling young Americans’ access to higher education, but it is curbing the economy’s growth,
THE REBOUNDING WORKFORCE
PART 3 OF 3 by Sanette Tanaka THE CHRONICLE
With graduation looming in less than three weeks, some seniors are feeling the pressure to finalize their postgraduate plans. In recent years, at least 15 percent of Duke seniors have graduated while still seeking employment. But for many students, simply getting a job is not the end goal. Duke students often hold out for positions that further their education and advance their career interests. In doing so, some take temporary jobs and join the growing number of American college graduates who do not fully utilize their degrees. Students who fall under this trend are still categorized as employed in national reports. Jennifer Wolff, Trinity ’10, considers herself employed but works in short two- to threemonth long increments and lives at home. At graduation, Wolff knew she was pursuing a challenging field—costume design and technology—but did not expect to struggle getting even a minimum wage job. “I applied to work at bookstores, at bridal shops, at restaurants as a waitress—it’s impossible,” she said. “Sometimes I feel like, I graduated from Duke. I should be more useful to society.” TYLER SEUC/THE CHRONICLE
SEE OBAMA ON PAGE 11
President Barack Obama addresses a large crowd at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tuesday.
SEE FIT ON PAGE 7
Admins plan LDOC now a full-day festival to renovate dormitories by Gloria Lloyd THE CHRONICLE
by Margot Tuchler THE CHRONICLE
Duke’s oldest dormitories are in store for a facelift in the coming years. After recently surveying many of Duke’s oldest buildings, administrators have laid out a tentative long-term plan for renovating several University residence halls. Although project completion should not be expected sooner than 10 to 15 years from now, both East and West campuses will eventually see new dormitory buildings and the decommissioning of others and students may stop living on Central Campus. “It’s very important to the University that the conditions of the residence halls are top priority, and the University
B.o.B will bring the magic to campus as the headlining act in today’s Last Day of Classes celebration. Joining hip-hop artist B.o.B. at tonight’s concert will be mashup artist 3LAU, Eurodance singer DJ Basshunter and rappers Macklemore x Ryan Lewis. The LDOC committee has also expanded festivities to including a number of daytime activities such as free massages, a Hunger Games-themed breakfast and more. The day-long LDOC activities were primarily developed
SEE LDOC ON PAGE 9
CHRONICLE GRAPHIC BY CHELSEA PIERONI
SEE RENOVATIONS ON PAGE 9
ONTHERECORD
Daniels prepares for pro career, Page 13
“I like the idea of investing my entire being into something important—and The Chronicle fills that need for me.” —Sanette Tanaka in “Unforgettable.” See column page 19
Duke blasts past Charlotte, Page 14